<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, 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> DEC-31-1997 <PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 100,965 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 9,854 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 23,660 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 72,642 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 207,121 <COMMON> 8,665 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 27,953 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 11,607 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 48,225 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 17,402 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 30,290 <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> 111,104 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 207,121 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 131,327 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 2,591 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 121,950 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 124,541 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 6,786 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 1,774 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 8,560 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 3,344 <NET-INCOME> 5,216 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 0 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 5,216 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 2,842 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 1,560 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 5,985 <EPS-PRIMARY> 0 <EPS-DILUTED> 0