<ARTICLE> 5 <LEGEND> The following schedule contains summarized financial information extracted from the Mountain Fuel Supply Co. Statements of Income and Balance Sheets for the period ended March 31, 1997, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such unaudited financial statements. </LEGEND> <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 3-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1997 <PERIOD-END> MAR-31-1997 <CASH> 0 <SECURITIES> 0 <RECEIVABLES> 79,441 <ALLOWANCES> 0 <INVENTORY> 8,154 <CURRENT-ASSETS> 120,579 <PP&E> 827,208 <DEPRECIATION> 333,171 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 635,352 <CURRENT-LIABILITIES> 130,183 <BONDS> 175,000 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 4,808 <PREFERRED> 0 <COMMON> 22,974 <OTHER-SE> 209,231 <TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY> 635,352 <SALES> 0 <TOTAL-REVENUES> 175,313 <CGS> 0 <TOTAL-COSTS> 124,615 <OTHER-EXPENSES> 10,676 <LOSS-PROVISION> 0 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 4,342 <INCOME-PRETAX> 36,403 <INCOME-TAX> 14,094 <INCOME-CONTINUING> 22,309 <DISCONTINUED> 0 <EXTRAORDINARY> 0 <CHANGES> 0 <NET-INCOME> 22,309 <EPS-PRIMARY> 0 <EPS-DILUTED> 0