<ARTICLE> UT <CIK> 0000014525 <NAME> BROOKLYN UNION GAS <MULTIPLIER> 1 <CURRENCY> U.S. DOLLARS <PERIOD-TYPE> 9-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> SEP-30-1996 <PERIOD-START> OCT-01-1995 <PERIOD-END> JUN-30-1996 <EXCHANGE-RATE> 1 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 1,323,108,000 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 360,628,000 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 418,763,000 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 163,028,000 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 2,265,527,000 <COMMON> 16,557,000 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 528,606,000 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 365,574,000 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 910,737,000 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 6,600,000 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 727,498,000 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 0 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 0 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 300,000 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LEASES-CURRENT> 0 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 620,392,000 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 2,265,527,000 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 1,247,947,000 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 58,493,000 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 1,039,277,000 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 1,097,770,000 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 150,177,000 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 3,418,000 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 153,595,000 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 38,875,000 <NET-INCOME> 114,720,000 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 244,000 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 114,476,000 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 52,590,000 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 33,718,000 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 177,191,000 <EPS-PRIMARY> 2.33 <EPS-DILUTED> 2.33