<ARTICLE> UT <CIK> 0000880416 <NAME>NORTH ATLANTIC ENERGY CORPORATION <MULTIPLIER>1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 3-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1996 <PERIOD-END> MAR-31-1997 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 689,153 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 20,826 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 34,969 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 267,674 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 1,012,622 <COMMON> 1 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 160,999 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 35,989 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 196,989 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 495,000 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 20,750 <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> 279,883 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 1,012,622 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 41,976 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 3,091 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 24,325 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 27,570 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 14,406 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 1,857 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 16,417 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 9,177 <NET-INCOME> 7,240 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 0 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 7,240 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 25,000 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 0 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 13,875 <EPS-PRIMARY> 0.00 <EPS-DILUTED> 0.00