<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE>                     UT
<LEGEND>
THIS  SCHEDULE  CONTAINS  SUMMARY  FINANCIAL   INFORMATION  EXTRACTED  FROM  THE
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS,  CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME AND CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS  OF CASH FLOWS AND IS  QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER>                                                           1,000

<S>                                                       <C>
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                         DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                                            JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                                              DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                             12-MOS
<BOOK-VALUE>                                              PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                                          2,553,363
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                                0
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                               305,332
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                             409,086
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                                       138,650
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                                     3,406,431
<COMMON>                                                                 539
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                            400,893
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                                  636,228
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                                     1,037,660
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                                      0
<PREFERRED>                                                          157,196
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                                 826,470
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                                   207,035
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                                  0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                                             0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                                         85,000
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                                  0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                                0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                                           0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                                     1,093,070
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                                      3,406,431
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                          1,958,469
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                                  76,890
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                         1,670,877
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                         1,747,767
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                              210,702
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                                     5,958
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                                       216,660
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                              84,455
<NET-INCOME>                                                         132,205
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                           11,701
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                                        120,504
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                             113,600
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                             71,638
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                               332,102
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                                           0.00
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                           0.00


</TABLE>