<TABLE> <S> <C>








   <ARTICLE>  UT
   <LEGEND>                           THIS  SCHEDULE  CONTAINS
                                      SUMMARY        FINANCIAL
                                      INFORMATION    EXTRACTED
                                      FROM   THE  CONSOLIDATED
                                      BALANCE          SHEETS,
                                      STATEMENTS   OF  INCOME,
                                      STATEMENTS  OF CASHFLOWS
                                      AND     STATEMENTS    OF
                                      CAPITALIZATION   AND  IS
                                      QUALIFIED     IN     ITS
                                      ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO
                                      SUCH           FINANCIAL
                                      STATEMENTS
   <MULTIPLIER>  1,000
          
   <S>                                <C>
   <PERIOD-TYPE>                      9-MOS
   <FISCAL-YEAR-END>                  SEP-30-1997
   <PERIOD-START>                     OCT-01-1997
   <PERIOD-END>                       JUN-30-1998
   <BOOK-VALUE>                       PER-BOOK
   <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                          305,708 
   <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                         36,312 
   <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                              64,965 
   <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                            43,022 
   <OTHER-ASSETS>                                           0 
   <TOTAL-ASSETS>                                     450,007 
   <COMMON>                                            66,745 
   <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                0 
   <RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                 61,394 
   <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                     128,139 
   <PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                    0 
   <PREFERRED>                                            879 
   <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                               184,853 
   <SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                  17,000 
   <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                0 
   <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                           0 
   <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                        6,587 
   <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                0 
   <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                              0 
   <LEASES-CURRENT>                                         0 
   <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                     112,549 
   <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                      450,007 
   <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                          246,182 
   <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                15,635 
   <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                         201,131 
   <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                         216,766 
   <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                             29,416 
   <OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                     361 
   <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                      29,777 
   <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                            11,748 
   <NET-INCOME>                                        18,029
   <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                             46 
   <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                       17,983 
   <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                             6,489 
   <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                            1,546 
   <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                              19,778 
   <EPS-PRIMARY>                                         2.01 
   <EPS-DILUTED>                                         2.01 
           <PAGE>

</TABLE>