<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 Essex County Gas Company for the six
months ended February 29, 1996 and is qualified in its entirety by
reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>




<MULTIPLIER>                       1,000
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                      6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>            AUG-31-1996
<PERIOD-END>                 FEB-29-1996
<BOOK-VALUE>                    PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                   73,282  
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                    616 
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                      13,896 
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                     3,247         
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                 680 
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              91,722
<COMMON>                                    18,727
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                        0
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                         14,069
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>          32,796
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          336 
<PREFERRED>                                      0 
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                        19,480 
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                          10,065         
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                        0 
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                   0 
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                1,326 
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                        0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                      0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                57 
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>              27,662 
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>               91,722
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                   29,594
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                         1,510
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   9,262
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                  10,772
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                      4,238
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                            (10)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>               4,228
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                     1,453
<NET-INCOME>                                 2,775








<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                       9
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                2,766
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                     1,274
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                      989
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                       1,585
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                 1.71
<EPS-DILUTED>                                 1.71