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                                                                      EXHIBIT 11
 
                             BAY STATE GAS COMPANY
 
                STATEMENT RE:  COMPUTATION OF PER SHARE EARNINGS
 


                                                 1997       1996       1995       1994       1993
                                                ------     ------     ------     ------     ------
                                                                             
Primary earnings per share....................  $ 1.92     $ 2.00     $ 1.71     $ 1.85     $ 1.75

Dilutive effect of outstanding options to
  purchase common stock.......................   (0.01)     (0.02)     (0.01)     (0.02)     (0.03)
                                                ------     ------     ------     ------     ------
Fully diluted earnings per share..............  $ 1.91     $ 1.98     $ 1.70     $ 1.83     $ 1.72
                                                ======     ======     ======     ======     ======

 

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