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 1996
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 28th day of January, 1997.


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





                            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 1996
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 28th day of January, 1997.


                                 BRUCE P. BICKNER          
                                 Bruce P. Bickner




                         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 1996
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 28th day of January, 1997.


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




                           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 1996
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 28th day of January, 1997.


                                   W. H. CLARK             
                                   W. H. Clark




                            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 1996
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 28th day of January, 1997.


                                   JOHN E. JONES           
                                   John E. Jones




                          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 1996
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 28th day of January, 1997.


                                 DENNIS J. KELLER          
                                 Dennis J. Keller




                           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 1996
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 28th day of January, 1997.


                                 CHARLES S. LOCKE          
                                 Charles S. Locke




                          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 1996
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 28th day of January, 1997.


                                SIDNEY R. PETERSEN         
                                Sidney R. Petersen
  



                            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 1996
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 28th day of January, 1997.


                                  DANIEL R. TOLL           
                                  Daniel R. Toll




                         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 1996
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 28th day of January, 1997.


                                 PATRICIA A. WIER          
                                 Patricia A. Wier