<ARTICLE> UT <CIK> 0000880416 <NAME>NORTH ATLANTIC ENERGY CORPORATION <MULTIPLIER>1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR <FISCAL-YEAR-END> Dec-31-1996 <PERIOD-END> Dec-31-1996 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 691,916 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 19,744 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 41,155 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 264,573 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 1,017,388 <COMMON> 1 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 160,999 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 53,749 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 214,749 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 495,000 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 2,500 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 20,000 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 0 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LEASES-CURRENT> 0 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 285,139 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 1,017,388 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 162,152 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 7,289 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 94,922 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 107,263 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 54,889 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 8,900 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 68,841 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 36,769 <NET-INCOME> 32,072 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 0 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 32,072 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 38,000 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 52,414 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 103,841 <EPS-PRIMARY> 0.00 <EPS-DILUTED> 0.00