<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, 1997 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-31-1997
<PERIOD-END>                   JUN-30-1997
<PERIOD-TYPE>                        6-MOS
<BOOK-VALUE>                      PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>          278,890
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>          3,302
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>              20,845
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>            27,796
<OTHER-ASSETS>                           0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                     330,833
<COMMON>                            38,080
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>            8,321
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                 56,314
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>     102,715
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                    0
<PREFERRED>                              0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                84,267
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                  18,415
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>           0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>          350
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>         11,591
<LEASES-CURRENT>                       575
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>     112,920
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>      330,833
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>          106,234
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                 5,020
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>          89,337
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>          94,357
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>             11,877
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                     238
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>      12,115
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>             4,613
<NET-INCOME>                         7,502
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>              0
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>        7,502
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>             3,808
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>            3,954
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>              21,507
<EPS-PRIMARY>                            0
<EPS-DILUTED>                            0