<ARTICLE> 5 <LEGEND> The following schedule contains summarized financial information extracted from the Mountain Fuel Supply Company Statements of Income and Balance Sheet for the period ended September 30, 1997, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such unaudited statements. </LEGEND> <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 9-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1996 <PERIOD-END> SEP-30-1997 <CASH> 0 <SECURITIES> 0 <RECEIVABLES> 23,112 <ALLOWANCES> 0 <INVENTORY> 19,253 <CURRENT-ASSETS> 105,496 <PP&E> 858,741 <DEPRECIATION> 346,947 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 636,761 <CURRENT-LIABILITIES> 111,462 <BONDS> 207,000 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <COMMON> 22,974 <OTHER-SE> 189,710 <TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY> 636,761 <SALES> 0 <TOTAL-REVENUES> 286,115 <CGS> 0 <TOTAL-COSTS> 224,905 <OTHER-EXPENSES> 29,865 <LOSS-PROVISION> 0 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 13,693 <INCOME-PRETAX> 20,293 <INCOME-TAX> 6,361 <INCOME-CONTINUING> 13,932 <DISCONTINUED> 0 <EXTRAORDINARY> 0 <CHANGES> 0 <NET-INCOME> 13,932 <EPS-PRIMARY> 0 <EPS-DILUTED> 0