<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>                                                          1,000
<CURRENCY>                                         U.S. Dollars

<S>                                                <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                      3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                  MAR-31-2000
<PERIOD-START>                                     JAN-1-2000
<PERIOD-END>                                       MAR-31-2000
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                    1
<BOOK-VALUE>                                       Per-Book
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                                       $824,481
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                      $46,597
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                          $279,196
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                        $512,941
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                                   $43,610
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                                $1,706,825
<COMMON>                                                        $160,617
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                       $284,394
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                             $118,050
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                                  $563,061
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                               $910
<PREFERRED>                                                      $35,528
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                             $82,580
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                                    $0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                             $0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                                        $0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                                    $39,783
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                         $9,000
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                      $30,602
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                                  $1,756
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                                  $943,605
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                                 $1,706,825
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                       $269,425
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                             $83,713
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                      $214,553
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                      $214,553
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                          $54,872
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                               $80,381
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                                   $51,540
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                         $22,602
<NET-INCOME>                                                     $28,938
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                         $559
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                                    $28,379
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                         $11,222
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                             $0
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                           $58,821
<EPS-BASIC>                                                         0.87
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                       0.87



</TABLE>