<PAGE>

                                                          FEDERAL IDENTIFICATION
                                                                  NO. 04-1427020

                                                                     EXHIBIT 3.2


                        The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
                             William Francis Galvin
                          Secretary of the Commonwealth
              One Ashburton Place, Boston, Massachusetts 02108-1512


                              ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT
                     (General Laws, Chapter 164, Section 8A)

We, Chester R. Messer, II, *President /

and Catherine L. Nesser,   *Clerk /

of Essex County Gas Company
   --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ,
                          (Exact name of corporation)

located at One Beacon Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02108
           ------------------------------------------------------------------- ,
                (Street address of corporation in Massachusetts)

certify that these Articles of Amendment affecting articles numbered:

                                    Article I
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          (Number those articles 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and/or 6 being amended)

of the Articles of Organization were duly adopted at a meeting held on September
30, 1998, by vote of:

 100  shares of     Common                     of  100  shares outstanding,
-----           ------------------------------    -----
                (type, class & series, if any)

      shares of                                of       shares outstanding, and
-----           ------------------------------    -----
                (type, class & series, if any)

      shares of                                of       shares outstanding.
-----           ------------------------------    -----
                (type, class & series, if any)

(1)**being at least a majority of each type, class or series outstanding and
entitled to vote thereon: / or (2)


*Delete the inapplicable words.    **Delete the inapplicable clause.
(1) For amendments adopted pursuant to Chapter 156B, Section 70.
(2) For amendments adopted pursuant to Chapter 156B, Section 71.

Note: If the space provided under any article or item on this form is
insufficient, additions shall be set forth on one side only of separate 8 1/2 X
11 sheets of paper with a left margin of at least 1 inch. Additions to more than
one article may be made on a single sheet so long as each article requiring each
addition is clearly indicated.
<PAGE>

To change the number of shares and the par value (if any) of any type, class or
series of stock which the corporation is authorized to issue, fill in the
following:

The total presently authorized is:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
------------------------------------------------------ -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
               WITHOUT PAR VALUE STOCKS                                                 WITH PAR VALUE STOCKS
------------------------------------------------------ --------------------- ------------------------------ ------------------------
<S>                          <C>                            <C>                     <C>                            <C>
  TYPE                       NUMBER OF SHARES                  TYPE                 NUMBER OF SHARES               PAR VALUE
--------------------- -------------------------------- --------------------- ------------------------------ ------------------------
Common:                                                     Common:
--------------------- -------------------------------- --------------------- ------------------------------ ------------------------
Preferred:                                                  Preferred:
--------------------- -------------------------------- --------------------- ------------------------------ ------------------------
</TABLE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Change the total authorized to:
------------------------------------------------------ -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
               WITHOUT PAR VALUE STOCKS                                                 WITH PAR VALUE STOCKS
------------------------------------------------------ --------------------- ------------------------------ ------------------------
<S>                          <C>                            <C>                     <C>                            <C>
  TYPE                       NUMBER OF SHARES                  TYPE                 NUMBER OF SHARES               PAR VALUE
--------------------- -------------------------------- --------------------- ------------------------------ ------------------------
Common:                                                     Common:
--------------------- -------------------------------- --------------------- ------------------------------ ------------------------
Preferred:                                                  Preferred:
--------------------- -------------------------------- --------------------- ------------------------------ ------------------------
</TABLE>

                                    ARTICLE I

The name of the Corporation is Essex Gas Company.
<PAGE>

The foregoing amendment(s) will become effective when these Articles of
Amendment are filed in accordance with General Laws, Chapter 156B, Section 6
unless these articles specify, in accordance with the vote adopting the
amendment, a later effective date not more than thirty days after such filing,
in which event the amendment will become effective on such later date.

Later effective date: ____________________________ .

SIGNED UNDER THE PENALTIES OF PERJURY, this 30th day of October, 1998


/s/ Chester R. Messer, II                                *President /
--------------------------------------------------------
Chester R. Messer, II


/s/ Catherine L. Nesser                                  *Clerk /
--------------------------------------------------------
Catherine L. Nesser

*Delete the inaplicable words.
<PAGE>

                        THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS

                              ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT
                    (General Laws, Chapter 156B, Section 72)

                ================================================

I hereby approve the within Articles of Amendment and, the filing fee in the
amount of $100.00 having been paid, said articles are deemed to have been filed
with me this 6th day of November, 1998.

Effective date: _______________________________________________________________

                           /s/ William Francis Galvin

                             WILLIAM FRANCIS GALVIN
                          Secretary of the Commonwealth


                         TO BE FILLED IN BY CORPORATION
                      Photocopy of document to be sent to:

                           Catherine L. Nesser, Clerk
                      -------------------------------------------------------
                           Essex Gas Company
                      -------------------------------------------------------
                           c/o Boston Gas Company
                      -------------------------------------------------------
                           One Beacon Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02108
                           Telephone: (617) 742-8400
                                      ---------------------------------------