<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 Cambridge Electric Light Company for the three months ended March 31, 1997 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-31-1997 <PERIOD-END> MAR-31-1997 <PERIOD-TYPE> 3-MOS <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 100,118 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 9,653 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 21,484 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 42,804 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 174,059 <COMMON> 8,665 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 27,953 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 10,082 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 46,700 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 21,762 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 25,670 <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> 79,827 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 174,059 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 33,065 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 419 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 31,428 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 31,847 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 1,218 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 438 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 1,656 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 807 <NET-INCOME> 849 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 0 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 849 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 0 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 430 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 562 <EPS-PRIMARY> 0 <EPS-DILUTED> 0