<ARTICLE> UT
<LEGEND>
This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
balance sheet, statement of income, statement of retained earnings and
statement of cash flows contained in Form 10-Q of Canal Electric Company for
the six months ended June 30, 1995 and is qualified in its entirety by
reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK> 0000016906
<NAME> CANAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
                            
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>              DEC-31-1995
<PERIOD-END>                   JUN-30-1995
<PERIOD-TYPE>                        6-MOS
<BOOK-VALUE>                      PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>          269,252
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>          3,595
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>              19,312
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>            31,046
<OTHER-ASSETS>                      13,551
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                     336,756
<COMMON>                            38,080
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>            8,321
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                 51,711
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>      98,112
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                    0
<PREFERRED>                              0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                87,347
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                  34,435
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>           0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>        1,110
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>         12,966
<LEASES-CURRENT>                       585
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>     102,201
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>      336,756
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>           61,455
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                (3,673)
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>          53,815
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>          50,142
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>             11,313
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                      78
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>      11,391
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>             4,701
<NET-INCOME>                         6,690
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>              0
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>        6,690
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>             6,626
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>            4,121
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>               5,348
<EPS-PRIMARY>                            0
<EPS-DILUTED>                            0