<TABLE> <S> <C>
                                            
                                                  
<ARTICLE>                                        UT
<LEGEND>
This schedule  contains  summary  financial  information  extracted from CMP
Group, Inc. Consolidated  Statement of Earnings,  Consolidated Balance
Sheet and Consolidated  Statement of Cash Flows and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER>                                                             1
<CURRENCY>                                           U.S. Dollars
                                                      
<S>                                                  <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                        9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                    DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-START>                                       JAN-1-1998
<PERIOD-END>                                         SEP-30-1998
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                                          2
<BOOK-VALUE>                                         Per-Book
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                                       $1,075,145
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                        $76,864
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                            $190,021
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                          $907,673
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                                     $22,218
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                                  $2,271,921
<COMMON>                                                          $162,213
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                         $279,161
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                                $66,331
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                                    $507,705
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                              $27,910
<PREFERRED>                                                        $35,571
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                              $265,725
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                                 $80,000
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                               $0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                                          $0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                                     $291,484
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                               $0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                        $31,473
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                                    $1,742
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                                  $1,030,311
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                                   $2,271,921
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                         $695,603
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                               $18,593
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                        $614,973
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                        $633,566
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                            $63,044
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                                 $13,310
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                                     $76,354
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                           $38,054
<NET-INCOME>                                                       $34,410
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                         $3,890
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                                           $0
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                           $21,915
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                          $17,866
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                             $22,758
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                                         1.06
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                         1.06
        
 

</TABLE>