<ARTICLE>                                        OPUR1
<LEGEND>
     This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
     consolidated balance sheets and the statements of capitalization at
     September 30, 2000, and the consolidated statements of income and
     comprehensive income and the consolidated statements of cash flow for
     the nine months ended September 30, 2000, and is qualified in its entirety
     by reference to such financial statements.


                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-2000
<PERIOD-END>                               SEP-30-2000
<BOOK-VALUE>                                 PRO-FORMA
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                    1,198,041
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                        626
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                          65,922
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                        32,321
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                  62,552
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               1,359,462
<COMMON>                                         7,036
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                      287,689
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                            111,766
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                 406,491
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0
<PREFERRED>                                      1,760
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                           459,475
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                   0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                       80,550
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                       0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                   12,974
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                            0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                          0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                     0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                 398,212
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                1,359,462
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                      206,340
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                            26,584
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     115,349
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     141,933
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                         64,407
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                               3,890
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                  68,297
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                        27,867
<NET-INCOME>                                    40,430
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                         80
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                   40,350
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                        22,161
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                       33,840
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                          49,480
<EPS-BASIC>                                       0.98
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     0.97