<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