<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>                      6-MOS
    <FISCAL-YEAR-END>                  SEP-30-1998
    <PERIOD-START>                     OCT-01-1998
    <PERIOD-END>                       MAR-31-1999
    <BOOK-VALUE>                       PER-BOOK
    <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                         293,879 
    <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                        55,966 
    <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                            105,295 
    <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                           37,402 
    <OTHER-ASSETS>                                          0 
    <TOTAL-ASSETS>                                    492,542 
    <COMMON>                                           67,048 
    <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                               0 
    <RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                69,884 
    <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                    136,932 
    <PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                   0 
    <PREFERRED>                                           879 
    <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                              217,528 
    <SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                      0 
    <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                               0 
    <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                          0 
    <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                       3,235 
    <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                               0 
    <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                             0 
    <LEASES-CURRENT>                                        0 
    <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                    133,968 
    <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                     492,542 
    <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                         194,680 
    <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                               17,005 
    <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                        152,293 
    <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                        169,298 
    <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                            25,382 
    <OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                  1,068 
    <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                     26,450 
    <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                            8,517 
    <NET-INCOME>                                       17,933 
    <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                            31 
    <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                      17,902 
    <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                            4,465 
    <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                             840 
    <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                             37,056 
    <EPS-PRIMARY>                                        2.07 
    <EPS-DILUTED>                                        2.06 

            <PAGE>

</TABLE>