Nicor Inc.
                                                        Form 10-K
                                                        Exhibit 24.01



                              POWER OF ATTORNEY




KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:

      That the  undersigned,  a Director,  Officer,  or Director  and Officer of
Nicor Inc., an Illinois  corporation,  does hereby  constitute and appoint D. L.
CYRANOSKI and M. T. LORENZ,  and each of them, the undersigned's true and lawful
attorneys  and  agents,  each with full power and  authority  (acting  alone and
without  the other) to execute in the name and on behalf of the  undersigned  as
such Director,  Officer, or Director and Officer, the 1999 Annual Report on Form
10-K (and such amendment or amendments  thereto as may be necessary) to be filed
pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,  hereby
granting  to such  attorneys  and  agents,  and  each of  them,  full  power  of
substitution and revocation in the premises; and hereby ratifying and confirming
all that such  attorneys and agents,  or any of them, may do or cause to be done
by virtue of these presents.

      IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  I have  hereunto  signed this Power of Attorney this
20th day of January, 2000.





                                        ROBERT M. BEAVERS, JR.
                                        Robert M. Beavers, Jr.



<PAGE>


                              POWER OF ATTORNEY




KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:

      That the  undersigned,  a Director,  Officer,  or Director  and Officer of
Nicor Inc., an Illinois  corporation,  does hereby  constitute and appoint D. L.
CYRANOSKI and M. T. LORENZ,  and each of them, the undersigned's true and lawful
attorneys  and  agents,  each with full power and  authority  (acting  alone and
without  the other) to execute in the name and on behalf of the  undersigned  as
such Director,  Officer, or Director and Officer, the 1999 Annual Report on Form
10-K (and such amendment or amendments  thereto as may be necessary) to be filed
pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,  hereby
granting  to such  attorneys  and  agents,  and  each of  them,  full  power  of
substitution and revocation in the premises; and hereby ratifying and confirming
all that such  attorneys and agents,  or any of them, may do or cause to be done
by virtue of these presents.

      IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  I have  hereunto  signed this Power of Attorney this
20th day of January, 2000.





                                           BRUCE P. BICKNER
                                           Bruce P. Bickner



<PAGE>


                              POWER OF ATTORNEY




KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:

      That the  undersigned,  a Director,  Officer,  or Director  and Officer of
Nicor Inc., an Illinois  corporation,  does hereby  constitute and appoint D. L.
CYRANOSKI and M. T. LORENZ,  and each of them, the undersigned's true and lawful
attorneys  and  agents,  each with full power and  authority  (acting  alone and
without  the other) to execute in the name and on behalf of the  undersigned  as
such Director,  Officer, or Director and Officer, the 1999 Annual Report on Form
10-K (and such amendment or amendments  thereto as may be necessary) to be filed
pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,  hereby
granting  to such  attorneys  and  agents,  and  each of  them,  full  power  of
substitution and revocation in the premises; and hereby ratifying and confirming
all that such  attorneys and agents,  or any of them, may do or cause to be done
by virtue of these presents.

      IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  I have  hereunto  signed this Power of Attorney this
20th day of January, 2000.





                                         JOHN H. BIRDSALL, III
                                         John H. Birdsall, III



<PAGE>


                              POWER OF ATTORNEY




KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:

      That the  undersigned,  a Director,  Officer,  or Director  and Officer of
Nicor Inc., an Illinois  corporation,  does hereby  constitute and appoint D. L.
CYRANOSKI and M. T. LORENZ,  and each of them, the undersigned's true and lawful
attorneys  and  agents,  each with full power and  authority  (acting  alone and
without  the other) to execute in the name and on behalf of the  undersigned  as
such Director,  Officer, or Director and Officer, the 1999 Annual Report on Form
10-K (and such amendment or amendments  thereto as may be necessary) to be filed
pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,  hereby
granting  to such  attorneys  and  agents,  and  each of  them,  full  power  of
substitution and revocation in the premises; and hereby ratifying and confirming
all that such  attorneys and agents,  or any of them, may do or cause to be done
by virtue of these presents.

      IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  I have  hereunto  signed this Power of Attorney this
20th day of January, 2000.





                                           THOMAS A. DONAHOE
                                           Thomas A. Donahoe



<PAGE>






                              POWER OF ATTORNEY




KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:

      That the  undersigned,  a Director,  Officer,  or Director  and Officer of
Nicor Inc., an Illinois  corporation,  does hereby  constitute and appoint D. L.
CYRANOSKI and M. T. LORENZ,  and each of them, the undersigned's true and lawful
attorneys  and  agents,  each with full power and  authority  (acting  alone and
without  the other) to execute in the name and on behalf of the  undersigned  as
such Director,  Officer, or Director and Officer, the 1999 Annual Report on Form
10-K (and such amendment or amendments  thereto as may be necessary) to be filed
pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,  hereby
granting  to such  attorneys  and  agents,  and  each of  them,  full  power  of
substitution and revocation in the premises; and hereby ratifying and confirming
all that such  attorneys and agents,  or any of them, may do or cause to be done
by virtue of these presents.

      IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  I have  hereunto  signed this Power of Attorney this
20th day of January, 2000.





                                           DENNIS J. KELLER
                                           Dennis J. Keller



<PAGE>


                              POWER OF ATTORNEY




KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:

      That the  undersigned,  a Director,  Officer,  or Director  and Officer of
Nicor Inc., an Illinois  corporation,  does hereby  constitute and appoint D. L.
CYRANOSKI and M. T. LORENZ,  and each of them, the undersigned's true and lawful
attorneys  and  agents,  each with full power and  authority  (acting  alone and
without  the other) to execute in the name and on behalf of the  undersigned  as
such Director,  Officer, or Director and Officer, the 1999 Annual Report on Form
10-K (and such amendment or amendments  thereto as may be necessary) to be filed
pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,  hereby
granting  to such  attorneys  and  agents,  and  each of  them,  full  power  of
substitution and revocation in the premises; and hereby ratifying and confirming
all that such  attorneys and agents,  or any of them, may do or cause to be done
by virtue of these presents.

      IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  I have  hereunto  signed this Power of Attorney this
20th day of January, 2000.





                                           CHARLES S. LOCKE
                                           Charles S. Locke



<PAGE>


                              POWER OF ATTORNEY




KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:

      That the  undersigned,  a Director,  Officer,  or Director  and Officer of
Nicor Inc., an Illinois  corporation,  does hereby  constitute and appoint D. L.
CYRANOSKI and M. T. LORENZ,  and each of them, the undersigned's true and lawful
attorneys  and  agents,  each with full power and  authority  (acting  alone and
without  the other) to execute in the name and on behalf of the  undersigned  as
such Director,  Officer, or Director and Officer, the 1999 Annual Report on Form
10-K (and such amendment or amendments  thereto as may be necessary) to be filed
pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,  hereby
granting  to such  attorneys  and  agents,  and  each of  them,  full  power  of
substitution and revocation in the premises; and hereby ratifying and confirming
all that such  attorneys and agents,  or any of them, may do or cause to be done
by virtue of these presents.

      IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  I have  hereunto  signed this Power of Attorney this
20th day of January, 2000.





                                           WILLIAM A. OSBORN
                                           William A. Osborn


<PAGE>


                              POWER OF ATTORNEY




KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:

      That the  undersigned,  a Director,  Officer,  or Director  and Officer of
Nicor Inc., an Illinois  corporation,  does hereby  constitute and appoint D. L.
CYRANOSKI and M. T. LORENZ,  and each of them, the undersigned's true and lawful
attorneys  and  agents,  each with full power and  authority  (acting  alone and
without  the other) to execute in the name and on behalf of the  undersigned  as
such Director,  Officer, or Director and Officer, the 1999 Annual Report on Form
10-K (and such amendment or amendments  thereto as may be necessary) to be filed
pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,  hereby
granting  to such  attorneys  and  agents,  and  each of  them,  full  power  of
substitution and revocation in the premises; and hereby ratifying and confirming
all that such  attorneys and agents,  or any of them, may do or cause to be done
by virtue of these presents.

      IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  I have  hereunto  signed this Power of Attorney this
20th day of January, 2000.





                                          SIDNEY R. PETERSEN
                                          Sidney R. Petersen



<PAGE>


                              POWER OF ATTORNEY




KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:

      That the  undersigned,  a Director,  Officer,  or Director  and Officer of
Nicor Inc., an Illinois  corporation,  does hereby  constitute and appoint D. L.
CYRANOSKI and M. T. LORENZ,  and each of them, the undersigned's true and lawful
attorneys  and  agents,  each with full power and  authority  (acting  alone and
without  the other) to execute in the name and on behalf of the  undersigned  as
such Director,  Officer, or Director and Officer, the 1999 Annual Report on Form
10-K (and such amendment or amendments  thereto as may be necessary) to be filed
pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,  hereby
granting  to such  attorneys  and  agents,  and  each of  them,  full  power  of
substitution and revocation in the premises; and hereby ratifying and confirming
all that such  attorneys and agents,  or any of them, may do or cause to be done
by virtue of these presents.

      IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  I have  hereunto  signed this Power of Attorney this
20th day of January, 2000.





                                               JOHN RAU
                                               John Rau



<PAGE>


                              POWER OF ATTORNEY




KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:

      That the  undersigned,  a Director,  Officer,  or Director  and Officer of
Nicor Inc., an Illinois  corporation,  does hereby  constitute and appoint D. L.
CYRANOSKI and M. T. LORENZ,  and each of them, the undersigned's true and lawful
attorneys  and  agents,  each with full power and  authority  (acting  alone and
without  the other) to execute in the name and on behalf of the  undersigned  as
such Director,  Officer, or Director and Officer, the 1999 Annual Report on Form
10-K (and such amendment or amendments  thereto as may be necessary) to be filed
pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,  hereby
granting  to such  attorneys  and  agents,  and  each of  them,  full  power  of
substitution and revocation in the premises; and hereby ratifying and confirming
all that such  attorneys and agents,  or any of them, may do or cause to be done
by virtue of these presents.

      IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  I have  hereunto  signed this Power of Attorney this
20th day of January, 2000.





                                           PATRICIA A. WIER
                                           Patricia A. Wier