<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>                                   12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                               DEC-31-1999
<PERIOD-START>                                  JAN-1-1999
<PERIOD-END>                                    MAR-31-1999
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                                     2
<BOOK-VALUE>                                    Per-Book
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                                  $1,074,375
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                   $69,013
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                       $205,723
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                     $861,537
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                                $27,291
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                             $2,237,939
<COMMON>                                                     $161,199
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                    $285,917
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                           $97,543
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                               $544,659
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                         $18,910
<PREFERRED>                                                   $35,528
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                         $325,907
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                            $10,000
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                          $0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                                     $0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                                $231,466
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                      $9,000
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                   $32,344
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                               $1,734
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                             $1,028,391
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                              $2,237,939
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                    $276,633
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                          $25,744
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                   $209,751
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                   $209,751
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                       $66,882
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                             $4,834
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                                $45,972
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                      $11,796
<NET-INCOME>                                                  $33,257
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                      $919
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                                      $0
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                       $7,028
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                      $2,159
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                        $56,060
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                                    1.03
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                    1.03
        
 

</TABLE>