<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> UT
<LEGEND>
     This schedule  contains summary  financial  information  extracted from the
financial statements of NiSource Inc. for three months ended September 30, 1999,
and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000

<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                                    DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-START>                                                       JUL-01-1999
<PERIOD-END>                                                         SEP-30-1999
<BOOK-VALUE>                                                            PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                                              4,770,110
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                              466,191
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                                   678,276
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                                 247,216
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                                           345,468
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                                         6,507,261
<COMMON>                                                                 415,711
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                                172,229
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                                      776,899
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                                         1,364,839
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                                     54,585
<PREFERRED>                                                               81,114
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                                     484,100
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                                       314,075
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                              1,358,290
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                                           261,400
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                                            163,283
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                                  1,828
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                                    0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                                               0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                                         2,423,747
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                                          6,507,261
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                                687,992
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                                      13,781
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                               586,506
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                               586,506
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                                  101,486
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                                       (9,888)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                                            91,598
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                                (49,862)
<NET-INCOME>                                                              27,955
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                                    0
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                                             27,955
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                                  28,330
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                                      0
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                                    48,763
<EPS-BASIC>                                                               0.22
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                               0.22


</TABLE>