<ARTICLE> UT
<LEGEND>
This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
balance sheet, statement of income and statement of cash flows contained in
Form 10-Q of Canal Electric Company for the nine months ended September 30,
1994 and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such financial
statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK> 0000016906
<NAME> CANAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
                            
<PERIOD-TYPE>                  9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>              DEC-31-1994
<PERIOD-END>                   SEP-30-1994
<BOOK-VALUE>                      PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>          262,615
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>          3,867
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>              22,146
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>            27,038
<OTHER-ASSETS>                      13,719
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                     329,385
<COMMON>                            38,080
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>            8,321
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                 52,963
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>      99,364
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                    0
<PREFERRED>                              0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                87,897
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                  19,400
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>           0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>        1,110
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>         13,145
<LEASES-CURRENT>                       574
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>     107,895
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>      329,385
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>          157,217
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                 6,949
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>         132,498
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>         139,447
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>             17,770
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                     187
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>      17,957
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>             7,052
<NET-INCOME>                        10,905
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>              0
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>       10,905
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>             6,093
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>            6,217
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>              26,601
<EPS-PRIMARY>                            0
<EPS-DILUTED>                            0