<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-K of Cambridge Electric Light
Company for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1996 and is qualified in its
entirety by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK> 0000016573
<NAME> CAMBRIDGE ELECTRIC LIGHT COMPANY
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
                            
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>              DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-END>                   DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-TYPE>                         YEAR
<BOOK-VALUE>                      PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>          100,378
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>          9,408
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>              20,326
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>            45,039
<OTHER-ASSETS>                           0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                     175,151
<COMMON>                             8,665
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>           27,953
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                  9,233
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>      45,851
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                    0
<PREFERRED>                              0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                21,763
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                  23,790
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>           0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>          100
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>              0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                         0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>      83,647
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>      175,151
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>          119,105
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                 2,683
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>         110,215
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>         112,898
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>              6,207
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                   2,242
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>       8,449
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>             3,329
<NET-INCOME>                         5,120
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>              0
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>        5,120
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>             3,448
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>            2,238
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>               9,914
<EPS-PRIMARY>                            0
<EPS-DILUTED>                            0