<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>                      3-MOS
   <FISCAL-YEAR-END>                  SEP-30-1998
   <PERIOD-START>                     OCT-01-1998
   <PERIOD-END>                       DEC-31-1998
   <BOOK-VALUE>                       PER-BOOK
   <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                          293,103 
   <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                         55,788 
   <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                              86,907 
   <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                            40,630 
   <OTHER-ASSETS>                                           0 
   <TOTAL-ASSETS>                                     476,428 
   <COMMON>                                            66,999 
   <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                0 
   <RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                 59,908 
   <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                     126,907 
   <PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                    0 
   <PREFERRED>                                            879 
   <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                               217,540 
   <SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                  15,000 
   <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                0 
   <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                           0 
   <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                        3,234 
   <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                0 
   <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                              0 
   <LEASES-CURRENT>                                         0 
   <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                     112,868 
   <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                      476,428 
   <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                           81,679 
   <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                 4,778 
   <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                          67,509 
   <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                          72,287 
   <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                              9,392 
   <OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                     558 
   <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                       9,950 
   <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                             4,258 
   <NET-INCOME>                                         5,692 <PAGE>





   <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                             15 
   <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                        5,677 
   <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                             2,216 
   <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                              434 
   <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                              (6,681)
   <EPS-PRIMARY>                                         0.66 
   <EPS-DILUTED>                                         0.65 
           <PAGE>

</TABLE>