<ARTICLE>                                          UT
<LEGEND>
This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from
Southwest Gas Corporation's Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2000
and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such financial statements.

<MULTIPLIER>                                       1,000

                                        
<PERIOD-TYPE>                              9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                  DEC-31-2000
<PERIOD-END>                                       SEP-30-2000
<BOOK-VALUE>                                       PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                          1,656,891
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                           94,210
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                               155,877
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                   0
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                        47,311
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                     1,954,289
<COMMON>                                              33,158
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                            449,735
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                   19,992
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                       502,885
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                      0
<PREFERRED>                                                0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                 860,515
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                   100,500
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                  0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                             0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                          6,135
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                  0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                           0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                       484,254 
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                      1,954,289
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                            693,411
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                  (6,749)
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                           638,406
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                           638,406
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                               55,005
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                    (4,550)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                        50,455
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                             (51,415)
<NET-INCOME>                                           5,789
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                0
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                          5,789
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                              19,234
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                  0
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                               126,931
<EPS-BASIC>                                             0.19
<EPS-DILUTED>                                           0.18

<F1> Includes: trust originated preferred securities of $60,000, current
liabilities, net of current long-term debt maturities and short-term debt, of
$181,786 and deferred income taxes and other credits of $242,468. <F2> Includes
distributions related to trust originated preferred securities of $4,106.