NORTHERN ILLINOIS GAS CO /IL/ /NEW/
10-Q, 1996-08-14
NATURAL GAS TRANSMISSION
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                                 UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C.  20549
                                   FORM 10-Q



(Mark One)

[ X ]Quarterly Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
     Exchange Act of 1934
     For the quarterly period ended June 30, 1996

                                      or

[   ]Transition Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
     Exchange Act of 1934
     For the transition period from            to            

Commission file number 1-7296



                        NORTHERN ILLINOIS GAS COMPANY      
            (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

        
                Illinois                                  36-2863847    
        (State of incorporation)                       (I.R.S. Employer
                                                      Identification No.)

            1844 Ferry Road                                       
          Naperville, Illinois                            60563-9600   
         (Address of principal                            (Zip Code)         
           executive offices)
        
 
                               (630)983-8888          
                       (Registrant's telephone number)


Registrant meets the conditions set forth in General Instruction H(1)(a) and
(b) of Form 10-Q and is therefore filing this Form with a reduced disclosure
format.

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports
required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934 during the preceding 12 months and (2) has been subject to such
filing requirements for the past 90 days.  Yes [X] No [ ]
 
Shares of common stock, par value $5, outstanding at July 31, 1996, were     
15,232,414, all of which are owned by NICOR Inc.


                                                                            
Northern Illinois Gas                                                Page i 

Table of Contents

                                                                     Page
Part I.    Financial Information                                       

Item 1.    Financial Statements (Unaudited)                            1

           Consolidated Statement of Income -                          
             Three, Six and Twelve Months Ended
             June 30, 1996 and 1995                                    2

           Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows -                      
             Six and Twelve Months Ended
             June 30, 1996 and 1995                                    3

           Consolidated Balance Sheet -                                
             June 30, 1996 and 1995, and
             December 31, 1995                                         4

           Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements              5

Item 2.    Management's Discussion and Analysis of                     
             Financial Condition and Results of
             Operations                                                7

Part II.   Other Information

Item 1.    Legal Proceedings                                          10

Item 6.    Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K                           10

           Signature                                                  11

           Exhibit Index                                              12




Selected terms:
              
Ill.C.C. - Illinois Commerce Commission.

Mcf, Bcf - Thousand cubic feet, billion cubic feet.
              
Degree days - Number of degrees by which the daily
              mean temperature falls below 65 degrees
              Fahrenheit.
                                                                       



Northern Illinois Gas                                                Page 1 

PART I - Financial Information

Item 1.  Financial Statements

         The following condensed unaudited financial statements of Northern
         Illinois Gas have been prepared by the company pursuant to the
         rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission
         (SEC).  Certain information and footnote disclosures normally
         included in financial statements prepared in accordance with
         generally accepted accounting principles have been condensed or
         omitted pursuant to SEC rules and regulations.  The condensed
         financial statements should be read in conjunction with the
         financial statements and the notes thereto included in the
         company's latest Annual Report on Form 10-K.

         The information furnished reflects, in the opinion of the company,
         all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring adjustments)
         necessary for a fair statement of the results for the interim
         periods presented.  Because of seasonal and other factors, the
         results for the interim periods presented are not necessarily
         indicative of the results to be expected for the full fiscal year.

 

<TABLE>
Northern Illinois Gas                                                                                Page 2 

Consolidated Statement of Income (Unaudited)
(Millions)
<CAPTION>
                                        Three months ended        Six months ended       Twelve months ended
                                             June 30                  June 30                  June 30      
                                         1996       1995          1996       1995          1996       1995  

<S>                                    <C>        <C>           <C>        <C>           <C>        <C>
Operating revenues                     $  284.7   $  208.9      $  937.2   $  778.3      $1,471.6   $1,258.8

Operating expenses
  Cost of gas                             157.0      106.0         596.4      481.1         902.5      748.6  
  Operating and maintenance                37.8       37.3          77.1       75.0         157.2      148.1
  Depreciation                             18.1       16.0          64.4       57.5         105.7       95.5
  Taxes, other than income taxes           24.3       19.0          75.8       65.5         111.2       98.6 
  Income taxes                             13.6        7.9          37.9       29.4          57.2       45.7
                                          250.8      186.2         851.6      708.5       1,333.8    1,136.5

Operating income                           33.9       22.7          85.6       69.8         137.8      122.3

Other income (expense)
  Interest income                            .1        2.0            .1        2.1            .4        2.6
  Other, net                                 .3         .3            .6         .6           1.1        2.2
  Income taxes on other income              (.1)       (.9)          (.2)      (1.1)          (.4)      (1.8)
                                             .3        1.4            .5        1.6           1.1        3.0
Interest expense
  Interest on debt, net of amounts
    capitalized                             9.6        8.9          20.1       19.4          38.7       39.1
  Other                                     2.0         .1           2.4         .3           2.9         .1
                                           11.6        9.0          22.5       19.7          41.6       39.2

Net income                                 22.6       15.1          63.6       51.7          97.3       86.1
  
Dividends on preferred stock                 .1         .2            .3         .2            .5         .5

Earnings applicable to common stock    $   22.5   $   14.9      $   63.3   $   51.5      $   96.8   $   85.6


<F1>
Northern Illinois Gas is a wholly owned subsidiary of NICOR Inc.  Earnings and dividends per share
information is therefore omitted.
<F2>       
The accompanying notes are an integral part of this statement.
</TABLE>


<TABLE>
Northern Illinois Gas                                                                                Page 3 

Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows (Unaudited)
(Millions)
<CAPTION>
                                                                 Six months ended       Twelve months ended
                                                                     June 30                  June 30      
                                                                 1996        1995         1996         1995 
Operating activities
  <S>                                                          <C>         <C>          <C>          <C>
  Net income                                                   $  63.6     $  51.7      $  97.3      $  86.1
  Adjustments to reconcile net income to net 
    cash flow provided from operating activities:
      Depreciation                                                64.4        57.5        105.7         95.5
      Deferred income tax expense (benefit)                       (1.5)        2.6           .9          1.0
      Change in working capital items and other:
        Accounts receivable, less allowances                      95.2       115.8        (61.2)        20.7
        Gas in storage                                            42.8        58.3         (8.5)       (10.3)
        Deferred/accrued gas costs                               (24.5)       54.9        (53.5)        27.4
        Accounts payable                                         (64.6)      (26.0)        11.7         26.2
        Temporary LIFO liquidation                                12.0        30.7        (18.7)       (19.4)
        Gas refunds due customers                                (20.1)       43.3        (41.5)        42.4
        Other                                                     10.8         2.8          8.4        (12.9)
  
  Net cash flow provided from operating activities               178.1       391.6         40.6        256.7

Investing activities
  Capital expenditures                                           (42.5)      (60.2)      (134.5)      (165.6)
  Other                                                              -          .2           .1           .8

  Net cash flow used for investing activities                    (42.5)      (60.0)      (134.4)      (164.8)
   
Financing activities
  Net proceeds from issuing long-term debt                           -           -         49.5         99.1
  Disbursements to retire long-term debt                         (50.0)          -       (100.0)       (50.0)
  Short-term borrowings (repayments), net                        (42.3)     (188.2)       109.3            - 
  Dividends paid                                                 (42.7)      (37.0)       (77.1)       (76.6)
  Other                                                            (.6)        (.5)         (.6)         (.2)
  
  Net cash flow used for financing activities                   (135.6)     (225.7)       (18.9)       (27.7)

Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents                 -       105.9       (112.7)        64.2

Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period                       -         6.8        112.7         48.5

Cash and cash equivalents, end of period                       $     -     $ 112.7      $     -      $ 112.7


<F1>
The accompanying notes are an integral part of this statement.
</TABLE>
 

<TABLE>
Northern Illinois Gas                                                                              Page 4 

Consolidated Balance Sheet (Unaudited)
(Millions)
<CAPTION>
                                                              June 30         December 31         June 30
                          Assets                                1996              1995              1995  

<S>                                                          <C>                <C>              <C>
Gas distribution plant, at cost                              $ 2,889.0          $ 2,851.8        $ 2,766.5 
  Less accumulated depreciation                                1,243.1            1,182.2          1,143.1

                                                               1,645.9            1,669.6          1,623.4
Other property and investments, net of accumulated
  depletion of $34.4                                               8.5                8.4              8.1
                                                                                   
                                                                                   
Current assets
  Cash and cash equivalents - Affiliates                             -                  -             64.6
                            - Other                                  -                  -             48.1
  Accounts receivable, less allowances of $7.4,
    $4.7 and $6.1, respectively                                  147.6              242.8             86.4  
  Deferred gas costs                                              33.2                8.7                -
  Gas in storage, at last-in, first-out (LIFO) cost               20.2               63.0             11.7
  Other                                                           23.9               25.1             23.9  

                                                                 224.9              339.6            234.7

Other assets                                                      66.7               69.1             54.5

                                                             $ 1,946.0          $ 2,086.7        $ 1,920.7

               Capitalization and Liabilities

Capitalization                                               
  Long-term debt                                             $   421.4          $   446.2        $   446.6
  Preferred stock
    Redeemable                                                     8.6                9.1              9.1
    Nonredeemable                                                  1.4                1.4              1.4
  Common equity                                                 
    Common stock                                                  76.2               76.2             76.2
    Paid-in capital                                              107.9              107.9            107.9
    Retained earnings                                            512.3              516.0            499.5

                                                               1,127.8            1,156.8          1,140.7
Current liabilities
  Long-term obligations due within one year                       25.5               50.5             50.5
  Short-term borrowings                                          109.3              151.6                -
  Accounts payable                                               216.4              281.0            204.7
  Accrued interest                                                38.9               37.4             37.7
  Temporary LIFO liquidation                                      12.0                  -             30.7
  Gas refunds due customers                                        4.1               24.2             45.6
  Accrued gas costs                                                  -                  -             20.3
  Other                                                           43.5               14.2             33.4

                                                                 449.7              558.9            422.9
Deferred credits and other liabilities
  Deferred income taxes                                          173.1              172.8            166.6
  Regulatory income tax liability                                 85.1               86.5             88.6
  Unamortized investment tax credits                              49.8               50.8             51.7
  Other                                                           60.5               60.9             50.2

                                                                 368.5              371.0            357.1

                                                             $ 1,946.0          $ 2,086.7        $ 1,920.7   


<F1>
The accompanying notes are an integral part of this statement.             
</TABLE>
 


Northern Illinois Gas                                                Page 5 

Notes To The Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)

ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Depreciation.  Depreciation is calculated using a straight-line method for
the calendar year.  For interim periods, depreciation is allocated based on
gas deliveries.  In April 1996, the composite depreciation rate increased to
4.1 percent from 3.7 percent.

Gas in Storage.  Gas in storage injections and withdrawals are valued using
the last-in, first-out (LIFO) method on a calendar-year basis.  For interim
periods, the difference between current replacement cost and the LIFO cost
for quantities of gas temporarily withdrawn from storage is recorded in cost
of gas as a temporary LIFO liquidation.

CASH FLOW INFORMATION

Income taxes paid, net of refunds, and interest paid, net of amounts
capitalized, for the periods ended June 30 were (millions): 


                                   Six months        Twelve months
                                  1996    1995       1996    1995 
    
    Income taxes paid             $32.9   $20.9      $57.0   $57.0

    Interest paid                  20.7    19.2       39.7    38.1


REGULATORY MATTERS

Rate Proceeding.  On April 3, 1996, the Ill.C.C. granted Northern Illinois
Gas a $33.7 million general rate increase, of which $12 million relates to
the change in the company's composite depreciation rate noted above.  The
order, effective April 11, 1996, allows the company a rate of return on
original-cost rate base of 9.67 percent, which reflects an 11.13 percent
cost of common equity.  The new rate structure will allow Northern Illinois
Gas to recover a larger proportion of its fixed costs during warmer months. 
The overall result is that the company's earnings will be less sensitive to
the effects of weather and the seasonal variations in quarterly earnings
will be reduced.

In May 1996, the Ill.C.C. denied requests for rehearing filed by several
parties including Northern Illinois Gas.  The company and other parties have
subsequently appealed the Ill.C.C.'s order to the Third District Appellate
Court of Illinois.

LONG-TERM DEBT

On August 13, 1996, the company issued $75 million of 6.45% First Mortgage
Bonds due in 2001.  The net proceeds of the sale replenished general
corporate funds which were used for the March 1996 maturity of $50 million
of 4-1/2% First Mortgage Bonds and the completion of the Elgin-Volo pipeline
project.



Northern Illinois Gas                                                Page 6 

Notes To The Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)
(Concluded)

CONTINGENCIES

The company is involved in legal or administrative proceedings before
various courts and agencies with respect to rates, taxes and other matters.

Until the early 1950s, manufactured gas facilities were operated in the
Northern Illinois Gas service territory.  Manufactured gas is now known to
have created various by-products that may still be present at these sites. 
Current environmental laws may require cleanup of these former manufactured
gas plant sites.  The company has identified up to 40 properties in its
service territory believed to be the location of such sites.  Of these 40
properties, Northern Illinois Gas currently owns 15 and formerly owned or
leased 13.  The remaining properties were never owned or leased by the
company.  Information has been presented to the Illinois Environmental
Protection Agency regarding preliminary reviews of the company's currently
owned and formerly owned or leased properties.  More detailed investigations
are either currently in progress or planned at many of these sites.  At
certain sites, the current owners are seeking to allocate cleanup costs to
former owners or lessees, including Northern Illinois Gas.

The results of continued testing and analysis should determine to what
extent remediation is necessary and may provide a basis for estimating any
additional future costs which, based on industry experience, could be
significant.  Costs are currently being recovered pursuant to Ill.C.C.
authorization.

On December 20, 1995, Northern Illinois Gas filed suit against certain
insurance carriers in the Circuit Court of Cook County.  This suit seeks to
declare the insurance carriers liable under policies in effect primarily
between the years 1954 and 1985 for costs incurred or to be incurred for
environmental cleanup of former manufactured gas plant sites.  Presently,
management cannot predict the timing or outcome of this lawsuit.  Any
recoveries from such litigation or other sources will be flowed back to the
company's customers.

Although unable to determine the outcome of these contingencies, management
believes that appropriate accruals have been recorded.  Final disposition of
these matters is not expected to have a material impact on the company's
financial condition or results of operations.



Northern Illinois Gas                                                Page 7 

Item 2.  Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial
         Condition and Results of Operations

The following discussion should be read in conjunction with the Management's
Discussion and Analysis section of the Northern Illinois Gas 1995 Annual
Report on Form 10-K.

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Net income for the three-, six- and twelve-month periods ended June 30,
1996, rose $7.5 million to $22.6 million, $11.9 million to $63.6 million and
$11.2 million to $97.3 million, respectively, from the corresponding 1995
periods.  For the three-month period, the increase was due primarily to the
impact of a 2.8 percent general rate increase along with rate design changes
which shift some revenues from cold-weather months to warm-weather months. 
For the six- and twelve-month periods, the increase was due primarily to the
positive impact of higher deliveries.  The April 1996 rate case result also
contributed to the improvements.

Operating revenues increased $75.8 million, $158.9 million and $212.8
million for the three-, six- and twelve-month periods, respectively, due
primarily to increased deliveries and higher natural gas costs which are
passed through to sales customers.  Increased deliveries were attributable
to the positive impact of colder weather and demand growth.

Margin, defined as operating revenues less cost of gas and revenue taxes, is
shown in the following table for the periods ended June 30.  Margin
increased in each period due primarily to higher deliveries and the impact
of the general rate increase.  Margin per Mcf delivered for the three-month
period rose sharply as a result of the general rate increase along with rate
design changes which shift some revenues from cold-weather months to warm-
weather months.

                          Three months     Six months      Twelve months
                          1996    1995    1996     1995    1996    1995 

   Margin (Millions)    $106.8   $ 87.2  $275.7  $241.9   $476.1  $429.8

   Margin per Mcf
     delivered            1.13     1.00     .85     .83      .85     .87


Operating and maintenance expense increased $9.1 million for the twelve-
month period due primarily to higher administrative and general costs.

Depreciation expense increased in each period due primarily to the change in
the plant composite depreciation rate and plant additions.  For further
information on the change in the plant composite depreciation rate, see
Accounting Policies on page 5.

Interest income decreased in each period due to lower investment levels.

Interest expense increased in each period due primarily to higher interest
on income tax adjustments.

The effective income tax rate rose to 37.2 percent from 35.5 percent for the
twelve-month period due primarily to less excess deferred taxes turning
around.



Northern Illinois Gas                                                Page 8 

Item 2.  Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial
         Condition and Results of Operations (Continued)    

FINANCIAL CONDITION

Net cash flow from operating activities decreased $213.5 million and $216.1
million for the six- and twelve-month periods, respectively, due to the
timing of gas cost recoveries, the impact of a 1995 gas pipeline refund and
a return to normal levels of customer advance payments.  Net cash flow from
operations may fluctuate widely from one interim period to another due to
the seasonal nature of Northern Illinois Gas' business.  The company
generally relies on short-term financing to meet temporary working capital
needs.

The company maintains short-term credit agreements with major domestic and
foreign banks.  At June 30, 1996, these agreements, which serve as backup
for the issuance of commercial paper, totaled $250 million, and the company
had $109.3 million of commercial paper outstanding.  At June 30, 1996, the
unused lines of credit under these credit agreements were $140.7 million.

On August 13, 1996, the company issued $75 million of 6.45% First Mortgage
Bonds due in 2001.  The net proceeds of the sale replenished general
corporate funds which were used for the March 1996 maturity of $50 million
of 4-1/2% First Mortgage Bonds and the completion of the Elgin-Volo pipeline
project.

RATE PROCEEDING

On April 3, 1996, the Ill.C.C. granted Northern Illinois Gas a $33.7
million, 2.8 percent general rate increase effective April 11, 1996.  For
further information, see Regulatory Matters on page 5.


<TABLE>
Northern Illinois Gas                                                                                    Page 9  

Item 2.  Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition
         and Results of Operations (Concluded)

OPERATING STATISTICS

Changes in weather can materially affect operating results.  Operating revenues, deliveries, weather statistics
and other data are presented below.
<CAPTION>
                                         Three months ended         Six months ended         Twelve months ended
                                               June 30                   June 30                   June 30      
                                          1996        1995          1996        1995          1996        1995  
Operating revenues (Millions):          
  Sales
    <S>                                 <C>         <C>           <C>         <C>           <C>         <C>
    Residential                         $  181.7    $  131.7      $  599.2    $  499.5      $  949.5    $  812.2
    Commercial                              45.9        31.9         163.3       132.6         248.6       213.7
    Industrial                               7.4         4.7          30.5        23.0          43.3        35.7
                                           235.0       168.3         793.0       655.1       1,241.4     1,061.6  
  Transportation
    Commercial                              10.6         8.6          31.0        27.8          53.4        45.5  
    Industrial                              11.7        13.5          29.6        32.5          59.7        56.5
                                            22.3        22.1          60.6        60.3         113.1       102.0

  Revenue taxes and other                   27.4        18.5          83.6        62.9         117.1        95.2 
                                        $  284.7    $  208.9      $  937.2    $  778.3      $1,471.6    $1,258.8


Deliveries (Bcf):
  Sales                                                                       
    Residential                             35.8        33.1         150.8       133.1         249.2       210.1
    Commercial                               9.2         8.3          41.1        35.3          65.1        55.9
    Industrial                               1.6         1.4           8.3         6.6          12.2        10.1
                                            46.6        42.8         200.2       175.0         326.5       276.1
   
  Transportation
    Commercial                              11.3         9.2          45.2        34.4          74.8        56.5 
    Industrial                              36.7        35.3          78.8        83.2         161.2       159.3
                                            48.0        44.5         124.0       117.6         236.0       215.8 

                                            94.6        87.3         324.2       292.6         562.5       491.9


Gas cost per Mcf sold                   $   3.29    $   2.35      $   2.91    $   2.66      $   2.68    $   2.63


Weather statistics:
  Degree days                                801         726         4,004       3,692         6,423       5,535
  Percent colder (warmer) than normal       16.4         5.8           4.1        (4.3)          5.2        (9.8)


Customers at end of period (Thousands):
 Sales
   Residential                           1,668.3     1,638.7         
   Commercial                              140.5       140.6      
   Industrial                               11.5        11.5
                                         1,820.3     1,790.8

 Transportation
   Commercial                               17.8        16.1
   Industrial                                2.6         2.4
                                            20.4        18.5

                                         1,840.7     1,809.3 
</TABLE>


Northern Illinois Gas                                                Page 10

PART II - Other Information

Item 1.  Legal Proceedings

         For information concerning legal proceedings, see Regulatory
         Matters and Contingencies in Notes to the Consolidated Financial
         Statements beginning on page 5, which are incorporated herein by
         reference.

Item 6.  Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K

  (a)    See Exhibit Index on page 12 filed herewith.

  (b)    The company did not file a report on Form 8-K during the second
         quarter of 1996.



Northern Illinois Gas                                                Page 11

Signature

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.





                                        Northern Illinois Gas Company



Date  August 14, 1996                   By         DAVID L. CYRANOSKI       
                                                   David L. Cyranoski
                                                 Senior Vice President,
                                                Secretary and Controller



Northern Illinois Gas                                                Page 12

Exhibit Index

Exhibit
 Number                        Description of Document                      

  1.01   Underwriting Agreement, dated August 6, 1996, between the company
         and PaineWebber Incorporated.

  4.01   Supplemental Indenture, dated May 10, 1996, of the company to
         Harris Trust and Savings Bank, Trustee, under Indenture dated as of
         January 1, 1954.

  4.02   Supplemental Indenture, dated August 1, 1996, of the company to
         Harris Trust and Savings Bank, Trustee, under Indenture dated as of
         January 1, 1954.

 12.01   Computation of Consolidated Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges.

 27.01   Financial Data Schedule.




                                                NORTHERN ILLINOIS GAS COMPANY
                                                FORM 10-Q
                                                EXHIBIT 1.01 


	                     		 NORTHERN ILLINOIS GAS COMPANY 

                          				 $75,000,000 

                    			     FIRST MORTGAGE BONDS 

	               	       6.45% SERIES DUE AUGUST 1, 2001 

                     			   UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT 




PaineWebber Incorporated 
1285 Avenue of the Americas 
New York, New York 10019                                        August 6, 1996 

Dear Sirs: 

	Northern Illinois Gas Company (the ''Company'') proposes, subject to the
terms and conditions stated herein and in the General Terms and Conditions of 
Underwriting Agreement in the form of Annex A hereto, a copy of which you have 
previously received, to issue and sell to the Underwriter named in Schedule I 
hereto (the ''Underwriter''), $75,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the 
Company's First Mortgage Bonds (the ''Bonds''). All of the provisions of such 
General Terms and Conditions of Underwriting Agreement are incorporated herein 
by reference in their entirety, and shall be deemed to be a part of this 
Underwriting Agreement to the same extent as if such provisions had been set 
forth in full herein. Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the 
General Terms and Conditions of Underwriting Agreement are used herein as 
therein defined. 

	An amendment to the Registration Statement, or a supplement to the 
Prospectus, as the case may be, relating to the Bonds in the form heretofore 
delivered to you is now proposed to be filed or mailed for filing with the 
Commission. Such amendment or supplement sets forth the terms of the Bonds. 

	Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Company agrees 
to issue and sell to the Underwriter, and the Underwriter agrees to purchase 
from the Company, the principal amount of Bonds set forth opposite the name of 
such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto on the following terms and conditions: 

	Aggregate principal amount of Bonds to be
	  purchased:                                 
	  $75,000,000     
	
	Rate of interest per annum to be borne by the
	  Bonds (payable semiannually):  
	  6.45% (such rate to be a multiple of .001%)     
	
	Maturity date of the Bonds:
	  August 1, 2001       
	
	Price to be paid to the Company for the Bonds:
	  99.224% of the principal amount of the Bonds (not less than 99%) plus 
	  accrued interest from date of Supplemental Indenture to the date of 
	  delivery of the Bonds.      
	
	Initial public offering price of the Bonds:     
	  The Underwriter proposes to offer the Bonds from time to time for sale
	  in one or more negotiated transactions, or otherwise, at market prices
	  prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to such prevailing 
	  market prices or at negotiated prices. 
	  
                           				       1            
				       


	  Place for delivery of Bonds:
	    The Depository Trust Company 
	    55 Water Street 
	    New York, NY 10004      
	  
	  Date and time of Time of Delivery:      
	    August 13, 1996 at 9:00 a.m. Chicago time    
	    
	  Place for checking Bonds on the business day
	    prior to Time of Delivery: 
	    The Depository Trust Company, 55 Water Street,
	    New York, New York 10004        
	  
	  Redemption and Sinking Fund:
	    Any redemption provisions will be as set forth on Schedule II 
	    hereto. No sinking fund will be provided.       
	  
	  Address for notices per Section 12 of the General Terms and Conditions 
	    of Underwriting Agreement: 
	    PaineWebber Incorporated 
	    1285 Avenue of the Americas 
	    New York, New York 10019
	
	If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign 
and return to us the enclosed counterparts hereof, whereupon it will become a 
binding agreement between the Underwriter and the Company in accordance with 
its terms. 

                                          Very truly yours, 


                                          Northern Illinois Gas Company 


                                          By   
	                                                Vice President 

The foregoing Underwriting Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted as of 
the date first above written. 


PaineWebber Incorporated 


 
By   
Title   

                             				       2          



                                                        								SCHEDULE I 



       Name of Underwriter                 Principal Amount of Bonds           
     PaineWebber Incorporated                     $75,000,000      
     
     
     
                                                      								SCHEDULE II 


	Redemption. The Bonds may not be called for redemption by the Company 
prior to August 1, 2000. On August 1, 2000 and thereafter until maturity on 
August 1, 2001, the Bonds may be redeemed at the Company's option, on not less 
than 30 nor more than 45 days notice, as a whole at any time, or in part from 
time to time, at 100% of the principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid 
interest to the date fixed for redemption. 



                                                         								ANNEX A 


                     			NORTHERN ILLINOIS GAS COMPANY 


                           				$75,000,000 


                    			     FIRST MORTGAGE BONDS 


	  GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT 

	Northern Illinois Gas Company, an Illinois corporation (the''Company''), 
proposes to enter into an Underwriting Agreement into which these General 
Terms and Conditions are incorporated by reference (the ''Underwriting 
Agreement'') and, subject to the terms and conditions stated therein, to issue 
and sell to the underwriter or underwriters named in Schedule I to the 
Underwriting Agreement $75,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its First 
Mortgage Bonds (hereinafter called the ''Bonds'') under the registration 
statement referred to in Section 2(a) hereof. Such Bonds will be issued under 
the Company's Indenture dated as of January 1, 1954, to Harris Trust and 
Savings Bank, Trustee (the ''Trustee''), as supplemented by supplemental 
indentures dated February 9, 1954, April 1, 1956, June 1, 1959, July 1, 1960, 
June 1, 1963, July 1, 1963, August 1, 1964, August 1, 1965, May 1, 1966, 
August 1, 1966, July 1, 1967, June 1, 1968, December 1, 1969, August 1, 1970, 
June 1, 1971, July 1, 1972, July 1, 1973, April 1, 1975, April 30, 1976, April 
30, 1976, July 1, 1976, August 1, 1976, December 1, 1977, January 15, 1979, 
December 1, 1981, March 1, 1983, October 1, 1984, December 1, 1986, March 15, 
1988, July 1, 1988, July 1, 1989, July 15, 1990, August 15, 1991, July 15, 
1992, February 1, 1993, March 15, 1993, May 1, 1993, July 1, 1993, August 15, 
1994, October 15, 1995 and May 10, 1996 respectively, and as to be further 
supplemented by a Supplemental Indenture (the ''Supplemental Indenture'') 
which will be dated the first or fifteenth day of the calendar month in which 
the ''Time of Delivery'' (as hereinafter defined) falls, creating the series 
in which the Bonds are to be issued. Said Indenture as so supplemented is 
hereinafter called the ''Indenture.'' The term ''Underwriters'' herein shall 
refer to the several persons, firms and corporations named in Schedule I to 
the Underwriting Agreement and the term ''Representatives'' herein shall refer 
to the Underwriters identified as the Representatives who are acting on behalf 
of the Underwriters (including themselves) in the Underwriting Agreement. All 
obligations of the Underwriters under the Underwriting Agreement are several 
and not joint. The terms ''Underwriters'', ''Representatives'', ''persons'', 
''firms'' and ''corporations'' shall include the singular as well as the 
plural. 
      
	The terms of the issuance of the Bonds shall be as specified in the 
Underwriting Agreement. The Underwriting Agreement shall constitute an 
agreement by the Company and the Underwriters to be bound by all of the 
provisions of these General Terms and Conditions of Underwriting Agreement, as 
follows: 

	Section 1. Sale of Bonds. Sales of the Bonds will be made to the 
Underwriters, for whom the Representatives will act as such. The obligation of 
the Company to issue and sell any of the Bonds and the obligation of any of 
the Underwriters to purchase any of the Bonds shall be evidenced by the 
Underwriting Agreement. The Underwriting Agreement shall specify the aggregate 
principal amount of Bonds to be purchased, the rate and time of payment of 
interest to be borne by the Bonds, the maturity date of the Bonds, the price 
to be paid to the Company for the Bonds, the initial public offering price or 
other offering terms of such Bonds and the redemption prices and other special 
terms, if any, relating to the Bonds, the names of the Underwriters of such 
Bonds, the names of the Representatives of such Underwriters and the amount of 
Bonds to be purchased by each Underwriter, and, subject to the provisions of 
Section 3 hereof, shall set forth the date, time and manner of the delivery of 
such Bonds. The terms of the Bonds will be set forth in the Prospectus 
Supplement (as hereinafter defined). The Underwriting Agreement shall be in 
the form of an executed writing (which may be in counterparts) and may be 
evidenced by an exchange of telecopied communications or any other rapid 
transmission device to produce a written record of communications transmitted. 



	Section 2. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company 
represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the several Underwriters that: 

	(a) A registration statement on Form S-3 with respect to the Bonds, 
including a related preliminary prospectus, has been prepared by the 
Company in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, 
as amended (the ''Act''), and the rules and regulations of the Securities 
and Exchange Commission (the ''Commission'') under the Act (the 
''Regulations''), and has been filed with the Commission on April 18, 1994 
and, if one or more amendments to such registration statement, which may 
include an amended preliminary prospectus, have been filed with the 
Commission, such amendments have been similarly prepared; and such 
registration statement has become effective. Such registration statement, 
as amended to the date of the Underwriting Agreement, together with the 
prospectus supplement referred to below is hereinafter referred to as the 
''Registration Statement''. Such prospectus as supplemented specifically 
relating to the Bonds and filed with the Commission under Rule 424(b) of 
the Act is hereinafter referred to as the ''Prospectus''. The Prospectus 
has been prepared by the Company in conformity with the requirements of the 
Act and the Regulations. Copies of the Registration Statement and any 
related prospectus have been delivered to the Representatives. As used 
herein, Registration Statement, Prospectus and preliminary prospectus shall 
include, in each case, the material incorporated therein pursuant to Item 
12 of Form S-3 filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the ''1934 
Act'') on or prior to the date of the Underwriting Agreement, and 
''amended'', ''amendment'' or ''supplement'' with respect to the 
Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be deemed to include the 
filing by the Company of any document pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 
or 15(d) of the 1934 Act after the date of the Underwriting Agreement. 

	(b) The registration statement at the time it became effective, and the 
related prospectus and any amendments and supplements thereto filed prior 
to the date of the Underwriting Agreement, conformed in all material 
respects to the provisions of the Act and the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, 
as amended (the ''Trust Indenture Act'') and the rules and regulations of 
the Commission thereunder, on the date of the Underwriting Agreement and at 
the Time of Delivery (referred to in Section 3) the Registration Statement, 
the Prospectus, and any amendments and supplements thereto, and the 
Indenture, will conform in all material respects to the Act, the Trust 
Indenture Act and the respective rules and regulations of the Commission 
thereunder, and at the time the registration statement became effective, 
the registration statement and related prospectus did not contain any 
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact 
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein 
not misleading; and at the date of this Underwriting Agreement and at the 
Time of Delivery, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any 
amendments and supplements thereto do not and will not contain any untrue 
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in 
order to make the statements therein not misleading; provided, however, 
that none of the representations and warranties in this subsection shall 
apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement or 
Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto made in reliance upon and 
in conformity with information respecting the Underwriters furnished to the 
Company in writing by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the 
Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement or 
Prospectus. 

	(c) The documents incorporated by reference into the Prospectus, at the 
time they were filed with the Commission, complied in all material respects 
with the requirements of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the 
Commission thereunder (the ''1934 Regulations''), and, at the date of this 
Underwriting Agreement and at the Time of Delivery, when read together with 
the Prospectus and any supplement thereto will not contain an untrue 
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to 
be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not 
misleading, and any documents filed after the date of the Underwriting 
Agreement and so incorporated by reference in the Prospectus will, when 
they are filed with the Commission, comply in all material respects with 
the requirements of the 1934 Act and the 1934 Regulations, and when read 
together with the Prospectus and any supplement thereto will not contain an 
untrue statement of material fact or omit to state a material fact required 
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not 
misleading. 

                            				       2



	(d) Arthur Andersen LLP are independent public accountants with respect 
to the Company and its subsidiaries as required by the Act and the 
Regulations. 

	(e) The financial statements included in the Registration Statement 
present fairly the financial position of the Company and its consolidated 
subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and the results of their operations 
for the periods specified, and said financial statements have been prepared 
in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles applied on a 
consistent basis during the periods involved. 

	(f) The Company is a corporation in good standing, duly organized and 
validly existing under the laws of Illinois, and has due corporate 
authority to carry on the business in which it is engaged and to own and 
operate the properties used by it in such business as described in the 
Prospectus. The Company's subsidiary constitutes less than 5% of its 
consolidated assets and during the year ended December 31, 1995 contributed 
less than 5% of its consolidated annual operating revenues and net income, 
and the Company does not consider its subsidiary to be material. 

	(g) The execution and delivery of the Underwriting Agreement have been 
duly authorized by the Company and the Underwriting Agreement constitutes a 
valid and legally binding obligation of the Company; the Bonds have been 
duly authorized, and when issued and delivered pursuant to the Underwriting 
Agreement and the Indenture, will have been duly executed, authenticated, 
issued and delivered and will constitute valid and legally binding 
obligations of the Company in accordance with their respective terms, 
entitled to the benefits provided by the Indenture; the Supplemental 
Indenture has been duly authorized in substantially the form filed as an 
exhibit to the Registration Statement and, when executed and delivered by 
the Company and the Trustee, will constitute a valid and legally binding 
instrument enforceable in accordance with its terms, except to the extent 
the enforceability of the Bonds and the Indenture may be limited by 
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other laws of general application 
relating to or affecting the enforcement of creditors' rights or general 
equity principles; and the Indenture and the Bonds as executed and 
delivered will conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof 
in the Prospectus. 

	(h) The issue and sale of the Bonds and the compliance by the Company 
with all of the provisions of the Bonds, the Indenture, and the 
Underwriting Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby will not 
conflict with or result in any breach or violation of any of the provisions 
of, or constitute (disregarding any grace or notice period) a default 
under, or result in the imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon 
any property or assets of the Company pursuant to the terms of, any other 
indenture, or any mortgage, loan agreement, contract, note, lease or other 
agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which the 
Company may be bound or to which any of the property or assets of the 
Company is subject, nor will such action result in any violation of the 
provisions of the charter or by-laws of the Company or any statute or any 
order, rule or regulation applicable to the Company of any court or any 
federal, state or other regulatory authority or other governmental body 
having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its properties. 

	(i) Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the 
Registration Statement and Prospectus and except as may otherwise be stated 
or contemplated therein; (i) there has not been any material adverse change 
in the condition, financial or otherwise, of the Company and its 
subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, or in the earnings, affairs, 
business prospects or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries 
considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course 
of business or arising from any court or governmental action, order or 
decree, and (ii) there has been no transaction entered into by the Company 
or any subsidiary which is material to the Company and its subsidiaries 
considered as one enterprise, other than transactions in the ordinary 
course of business. 

	(j) Except as set forth in the Prospectus, the Company, with minor 
exceptions, and subject to noncompliance with certain procedural and other 
requirements in the procurement and granting of gas franchises in a number 
of smaller municipalities formerly served by Mid-Illinois Gas Company, has 
statutory authority, franchises, licenses, rights-of-way, easements and 
consents, free from unduly burdensome restrictions and adequate for the 
conduct of the business in which it is engaged. 

                          				       3
	
	
	
	(k) The Illinois Commerce Commission has entered an order authorizing 
the issue and sale of the Bonds by the Company upon terms consistent with 
the Underwriting Agreement, and no other consent, approval, authorization 
or other order or filing with any regulatory or governmental body is 
required for the issuance and sale of the Bonds and consummation of the 
transactions contemplated hereby, except such consents, approvals, 
authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be required under 
state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and 
distribution of the Bonds by the Underwriters. 

	(l) The Company is not in violation of its charter or, except as 
disclosed in the Prospectus, in default in the performance or observance of 
any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract, 
indenture, mortgage, loan agreement, note, lease or other instrument to 
which it is a party or by which it or its property is bound or affected 
which is material to the Company and its subsidiary considered as one 
enterprise. 

	(m) Except as set forth in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, 
there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the Company 
or its subsidiary is a party or of which any property of the Company or its 
subsidiary is the subject, and, to the best of the Company's knowledge, no 
such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities 
or threatened by others, other than proceedings which, if determined 
adversely to the Company and its subsidiary, would not individually or in 
the aggregate have a material adverse effect on the business, properties, 
financial position, net worth or results of operations of the Company and 
its subsidiary considered as a whole. 

	Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company and delivered to 
you or to Underwriters' counsel shall be deemed a representation and warranty 
by the Company to each Underwriter as to the statements made therein. 

	Section 3. Purchase, Sale and Delivery of Bonds. Following the execution 
of the Underwriting Agreement, the several Underwriters propose to make a 
public offering of their respective portions of the Bonds as soon as in the 
Representatives' judgment it is advisable upon the terms and conditions set 
forth in the Prospectus Supplement. 

	The Bonds to be purchased by each Underwriter pursuant to the 
Underwriting Agreement, in definitive form and registered in such names as the 
Representatives may request upon at least forty-eight hours' prior notice to 
the Company, shall be delivered by or on behalf of the Company to the 
Representatives for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters, 
against payment therefor as specified in the Underwriting Agreement in 
immediately available funds, at the office of Mayer, Brown & Platt, 190 South 
LaSalle Street, Chicago, Illinois 60603 (except as hereinafter provided with 
respect to delivery of such Bonds), at the time and date specified in the 
Underwriting Agreement or at such other place and time and date as the 
Representatives and the Company may agree upon in writing, such time and date 
being herein called the ''Time of Delivery''. If specified by the 
Representatives in the Underwriting Agreement, delivery of the Bonds will be 
made at the Time of Delivery at such place in New York, New York as shall have 
been so specified against payment therefor in Chicago as aforesaid. 

	Section 4. Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants with each 
Underwriter that: 

	(a) The Company will notify the Representatives immediately and confirm 
the notice in writing (i) of the receipt of any request by the Commission 
for any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the 
Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto or for additional 
information, and (ii) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order 
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of the 
initiation or threatened initiation of any proceedings for that purpose or 
of the suspension or threatened suspension of the qualification of the 
Bonds for offering or sale in any jurisdiction. The Company will make every 
reasonable effort to prevent the issuance by the Commission of any stop 
order and, if any such stop order shall at any time be issued, to obtain 
the lifting thereof at the earliest moment. 

                             				       4
	
	
	
	(b) The Company will not file any amendment to the Registration 
Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus (including a 
prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424 and including documents deemed to be 
incorporated by reference into the Prospectus) without first having 
furnished the Representatives with a copy of the proposed form thereof and 
given the Representatives a reasonable opportunity to review and comment 
respecting the same and having given reasonable consideration to any 
comments or objections made by the Representatives. 

	(c) The Company will deliver to each of the Representatives, as soon as 
available, one signed copy of the Registration Statement as originally 
filed and of each amendment thereto, including, in each case, documents 
incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement and one set of 
exhibits thereto (other than exhibits incorporated by reference which will 
be furnished upon specific request), and will also deliver to the 
Representatives a reasonable number of conformed copies of the Registration 
Statement as originally filed and of each amendment and post-effective 
amendment thereto including such incorporated documents (without exhibits) 
for each of the Underwriters. 

	(d) The Company will deliver to each Underwriter from time to time 
during the period when a prospectus is required to be delivered under the 
Act such number of copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented and 
including incorporated documents) as the Representatives may reasonably 
request for the purposes contemplated by the Act or the Regulations; 
provided, however, that the delivery of copies of the Prospectus (as 
amended or supplemented and including incorporated documents) more than 
nine months after the date of the Underwriting Agreement shall be at the 
expense of the Underwriter requesting such delivery. 

	(e) During the period when a prospectus is required to be delivered 
under the Act, the Company will comply so far as it is able, and at its own 
expense (for a period not to exceed nine months), with all requirements 
imposed upon it by the Act, and by Sections 13 and 14 of the 1934 Act, as 
now or hereafter amended, and by the Regulations, as from time to time in 
force, so far as necessary to permit the continuance of sales of or dealing 
in the Bonds during such period in accordance with the provisions hereof 
and of the Prospectus. 

	(f) If any event shall occur as a result of which it is necessary, in 
the opinion of counsel for the Company and of Underwriters' counsel, to 
amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the Prospectus not 
misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is 
delivered to a purchaser, or if it is necessary to amend or supplement the 
Prospectus to comply with law, the Company will forthwith prepare and 
furnish to the Underwriters, without expense to them except as otherwise 
provided in subsection (d) of this Section 4, a reasonable number of copies 
of an amendment or amendments or a supplement or supplements to the 
Prospectus (in the form referred to in subsection (b) of this Section 4) 
which will amend or supplement the Prospectus so that as amended or 
supplemented it will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or 
omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements 
therein not misleading, or so that the Prospectus will comply with law. For 
the purposes of this subsection, the Company will furnish such information 
as the Representatives may from time to time reasonably request. 

	(g) The Company will endeavor in good faith, in cooperation with the 
Underwriters, to qualify the Bonds for offering and sale under the 
applicable securities laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may 
designate and to arrange for the determination of the legality of the Bonds 
for purchase by institutional investors; provided, however, that the 
Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service or to 
qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any 
jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified. In each jurisdiction where 
any of the Bonds shall be qualified as above provided, the Company will 
make and file such statements and reports in each year as are or may be 
reasonably required by the laws thereof. 

	(h) The Company will make generally available to its security holders as 
soon as practicable, but not later than 75 days after the close of the 
period covered thereby, an earnings statement (in form complying with the 
provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act and the Regulations thereunder 
(including, at the option of the Company, Rule 158), which need not be 
certified by independent public accountants 

                      				       5 
				       


unless required by the Act or the Regulations), covering a twelve-month period 
beginning on the first day of the calendar quarter following the Time of 
Delivery. 

	(i) The Company agrees that it will not publicly offer or sell any 
intermediate or long-term debt between the date of the Underwriting 
Agreement and Time of Delivery without the prior written consent of the 
Representatives. 

	Section 5. Payment of Expenses. The Company will pay all expenses 
incident to the performance of its obligations under the Underwriting Agree-
ment, including (i) the printing and filing by the Company of the registration 
statement and the printing of the Underwriting Agreement, any Agreement Among 
Underwriters, any Selling Agreement, the Supplemental Indenture and the 
Underwriters' Questionnaire, (ii) the authorization, issuance and delivery of 
the Bonds to the Underwriters, including the printing and engraving of the 
Bonds, and all taxes, if any, upon the issuance and sale of the Bonds to the 
Underwriters, (iii) the qualification of the Bonds under the securities laws 
of the various jurisdictions in accordance with the provisions of subsection 
(g) of Section 4, including filing fees and fees and disbursements of 
Underwriters' counsel in connection with such qualification and in connection 
with the preparation of the Blue Sky Survey and any Legal Investment 
Memorandum (such fees of Underwriters' counsel not to exceed $6,500 in the 
aggregate), (iv) any fees charges by securities rating services for rating the 
Bonds, (v) the fees and expenses of the Trustee and its counsel in connection 
with the Bonds and the Supplemental Indenture, (vi) the printing and delivery 
to the Underwriters and dealers in quantities as hereinbefore stated of copies 
of the registration statement and all amendments thereto, of any preliminary 
prospectuses and amended preliminary prospectuses, of the Registration 
Statement and any amendments thereto, and of the Prospectus and any amendments 
or supplements thereto, and (vii) the cost of printing and delivery to the 
Underwriters of copies of the Blue Sky Survey and any Legal Investment 
Memorandum. 

	If this Agreement is terminated by the Representatives in accordance 
with the provisions of Section 6 or Section 10(b), or is prevented by the 
Company from becoming effective in accordance with the provisions of 
Section 10(a), the Company shall reimburse the Underwriters severally for their 
out-of-pocket expenses, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of 
counsel for the Underwriters incurred in connection with the offering. 

	Section 6. Conditions of Underwriters' Obligations. The several 
obligations of the Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy of and 
compliance with the representations and warranties of the Company herein 
contained, to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and 
to the following further conditions: 

	(a) At the Time of Delivery no stop order suspending the effectiveness 
of the Registration Statement shall have been issued under the Act or 
proceedings therefor initiated or threatened by the Commission. 


	(b) At the Time of Delivery the Representatives shall have received: 

	(1) The favorable opinion, dated as of the Time of Delivery, of 
Mayer, Brown & Platt, counsel for the Company, in form and substance 
satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, to the effect that: 

	(i) the Company is a corporation in good standing, duly 
organized and validly existing under the laws of the State of 
Illinois and has due corporate authority to carry on the business in 
which it is engaged and to own and operate the properties used by it 
in such business; 

	(ii) the Indenture is in due and proper form, has been 
duly and validly authorized by the necessary corporate action and by 
orders duly entered by the Illinois Commerce Commission; no 
authorization, approval, consent, certificate or order of any other 
state commission or regulatory authority or of any federal 
commission or regulatory authority not already obtained is required 
in respect of the execution and delivery of the Indenture; and the 
Indenture has been duly and validly executed and delivered and is a 
valid and enforceable instrument in accordance with its terms, 
except as enforcement of provisions of the Indenture may be limited 

                       				       6



by bankruptcy or other laws of general application affecting the 
enforcement of creditors' rights and by general equity principles;  

	(iii) the Bonds are in due and proper form; the issue and 
sale of the Bonds by the Company in accordance with the terms of the 
Underwriting Agreement have been duly and validly authorized by the 
necessary corporate action and by order duly entered by the Illinois 
Commerce Commission; no authorization, approval, consent, 
certificate or order of any other state commission or regulatory 
authority or of any federal commission or regulatory authority not 
already obtained is required in respect of such issue and sale 
(except such consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or 
qualifications as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky 
laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Bonds 
by the Underwriters); the Bonds have been duly executed and 
delivered to the Underwriters against payment of the agreed 
consideration therefor and, assuming due authentication thereof by 
the Trustee, constitute valid and enforceable obligations of the 
Company in accordance with their terms, secured by the lien of and, 
with like exception as noted in the foregoing subdivision (ii), 
entitled to the benefits provided by the Indenture, and the 
registered owners of the Bonds will be entitled to the payment of 
principal and interest, and premium in case of redemption, as 
therein provided; the Bonds and the Indenture conform as to legal 
matters in all material respects with the statements concerning them 
made in the Prospectus, and such statements accurately set forth the 
matters respecting the Bonds and the Indenture required to be set 
forth in the Prospectus; 

	(iv) The Registration Statement is effective under the Act 
and the Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture 
Act, and to the best of the knowledge of said counsel no proceedings 
for a stop order are pending or threatened under Section 8(d) of the 
Act; 

	(v) the execution and delivery of the Underwriting 
Agreement by the Company has been duly authorized by the necessary 
corporate action, and the Underwriting Agreement has been duly 
executed and delivered by the Company; 

	(vi) the Company has good and sufficient title to all 
property described or referred to in the Indenture and purported to 
be conveyed thereby (except property released from the lien of the 
Indenture in connection with the sale or other disposition thereof), 
subject only to the lien of the Indenture and to permitted liens as 
defined therein; the Indenture has been duly filed for recordation 
in such manner and in such places as is required by law in order to 
give constructive notice of, establish, preserve and protect the 
lien of the Indenture; the Indenture constitutes a valid, direct 
first mortgage lien, subject only to permitted liens, on 
substantially all property of the Company, except property expressly 
excepted by the terms of the Indenture; the Indenture will, when 
recorded or registered by the Company in accordance with its 
covenants under the Indenture, constitute a valid, direct first 
mortgage lien on all property of the character of that now subject 
to the lien of the Indenture hereafter acquired by the Company, 
subject only to permitted liens and to liens, if any, existing or 
placed on such after-acquired property at the time of the 
acquisition thereof; 

	(vii) the issue and sale of the Bonds and the compliance 
by the Company with all of the provisions of the Bonds, the 
Indenture and the Underwriting Agreement will not conflict with or 
result in a breach or violation of any of the provisions of, or 
constitute (disregarding any grace or notice period) a default 
under, any indenture, mortgage, loan agreement, contract, note, 
lease or other agreement or instrument, known to such counsel, to 
which the Company is a party or by which the Company is bound or to 
which any of the property or assets of the Company is subject (with 
such exceptions as are in the aggregate not material to the business 
or financial condition of the Company or the validity of the Bonds), 
nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of 
the Charter or By-Laws of the Company, or, to the best of their 
knowledge, any statute or any order, rule or regulation applicable 
to the Company of any court or governmental agency or body having 
jurisdiction over the Company or any of its 

                         				       7



properties (except such consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or 
qualifications as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in 
connection with the purchase and distribution of the Bonds by the 
Underwriters); 

	(viii) at the time the registration statement became 
effective, the registration statement and the related prospectus 
(other than the financial statements and notes thereto and 
supporting schedules and other financial information included 
therein, as to which no opinion need be rendered) complied as to 
form in all material respects with the requirements of the Act and 
the Trust Indenture Act and the Regulations; 

	(ix) with minor exceptions, and subject to noncompliance 
with certain procedural and other requirements in the procurement 
and granting of gas franchises in a number of smaller municipalities 
formerly served by Mid-Illinois Gas Company, the Company holds 
franchises from all of the incorporated cities and villages included 
in the communities in which the Company renders gas service; all of 
the franchises so held by the Company are valid and subsisting and 
authorize it to engage in the business conducted by it in the 
respective municipalities granting such franchises; the Company also 
holds certificates of public convenience and necessity issued by the 
Illinois Commerce Commission, which are valid and subsisting and 
constitute due authorization by such commission for the conduct by 
the Company of its operations in all areas served; 

	(x) to the best of their knowledge and information, there 
are no contracts, indentures, mortgages, loan agreements, notes, 
leases or other instruments of a character required to be described 
in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or to be filed as 
exhibits to the Registration Statement other than those described 
therein or filed or incorporated by reference as exhibits thereto 
and the descriptions thereof or reference thereto are correct; and 

	(xi) except as disclosed in the Prospectus, there are no 
material pending or threatened legal proceedings, considering the 
Company and the subsidiaries as a single enterprise, known to said 
counsel, to which the Company or any subsidiary is a party or of 
which property of the Company or any subsidiary is the subject, and 
to the best of the knowledge of said counsel there are no such 
proceedings contemplated by governmental authorities. 

Such counsel shall further state that, based upon their participation in 
the preparation of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and 
any amendment or supplement thereto, and upon their review and 
discussions of the contents thereof, but without independent check or 
verification except as specified, nothing has come to their attention 
that has caused them to believe that the Registration Statement, at the 
time it became effective, contained an untrue statement of a material 
fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein 
or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or that the 
Prospectus, and any amendment or supplement thereto, at the date the 
Registration Statement became effective, the date of this Agreement or 
at the Time of Delivery, contained an untrue statement of a material 
fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the 
statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were 
made, not misleading. 

	(2) The favorable opinion of Wildman, Harrold, Allen & Dixon, 
counsel for the Underwriters, with respect to the incorporation of the 
Company, the validity of the Bonds and the Indenture, the Registration 
Statement, the Prospectus and other related matters as the 
Representatives may reasonably request; provided that any opinion 
requested with respect to the jurisdiction of regulatory authorities 
(other than the Illinois Commerce Commission, the Securities and 
Exchange Commission and state securities or Blue Sky authorities) and 
the matters in subdivisions (vi) and (ix) above will rely upon the 
opinion of Mayer, Brown & Platt. 

	(c) At the effective date of the Registration Statement and at the Time 
of Delivery the Representatives shall have received a letter from Arthur 
Andersen LLP, dated the effective date or Time of Delivery, respectively, 
in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, advising that 

                        				       8



(i) they are independent public accountants with respect to the Company and 
its subsidiaries as required by the Act and the 1934 Act and the applicable 
Regulations, (ii) in their opinion, the audited consolidated financial 
statements and any supplemental financial information and schedules of the 
Company examined by them and incorporated by reference in the Registration 
Statement and Prospectus comply as to form in all material respects with 
the applicable accounting requirements of the Act, the 1934 Act and the 
applicable Regulations, (iii) on the basis of a reading of the latest 
available unaudited interim consolidated financial statements prepared by 
the Company, a reading of the minutes of meetings of the shareholder and 
the board of directors and executive committee of the Company and its 
subsidiaries, consultation with officers of the Company responsible for 
financial and accounting matters and other specified procedures, nothing 
has come to their attention which caused them to believe that (A) the 
unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements included or 
incorporated by reference in the Prospectus do not comply as to form in all 
material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act, 
the 1934 Act and the applicable Regulations or are not in conformity with 
generally accepted accounting principles applied on a basis substantially 
consistent with that of the audited financial statements incorporated as 
aforesaid, (B) the unaudited amounts set forth in ''Summary 
Information-Consolidated Financial Information'' and any other unaudited 
income statement data and balance sheet data (other than such data for the 
periods referred to in (A) above) included or incorporated by reference in 
the Prospectus do not agree with the corresponding items in the audited or 
unaudited, as the case may be, financial statements from which such data 
were derived or were not determined on a basis substantially consistent 
with that of the corresponding amounts included in the audited consolidated 
financial statements of the Company incorporated in the Registration 
Statement and Prospectus, or (C) at a specified date within five business 
days of the date of such letter with respect to (1) below, and during the 
period from the date of the latest audited consolidated financial 
statements or unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial 
statements, as the case may be, incorporated in the Prospectus to the date 
of the latest available unaudited interim consolidated financial statements 
(if any) prepared by the Company with respect to (2) below, except in all 
instances as set forth in or contemplated by the Prospectus or as set forth 
in such letter: (1) there was any increase in the consolidated long-term 
debt of the Company and its subsidiaries, as compared with the amounts set 
forth in the latest balance sheet included or incorporated by reference in 
the Prospectus, or (2) there were any decreases in consolidated operating 
income or net income as compared with the corresponding period in the 
preceding year; and (iv) they have carried out specified procedures 
performed for the purpose of comparing certain financial information and 
percentages (which is limited to financial information derived from general 
accounting records of the Company) specified by the Representatives and 
appearing in the Registration Statement or in schedules or exhibits to the 
Registration Statement or in the Prospectus or in documents incorporated by 
reference in the Prospectus with indicated amounts in the financial 
statements or accounting records of the Company and (excluding any 
questions of legal interpretation and, in the case of the letter delivered 
at the Time of Delivery, any exceptions disclosed in the letter delivered 
at the Effective Date) have found such information and percentages to be in 
agreement with the relevant accounting and financial information of the 
Company referred to in such letter in the description of the procedures 
performed by them. If such letter discloses any material adverse decreases 
or increases, as the case may be, in the items specified in item (iii) (C) 
above which are not set forth in or contemplated by the Prospectus which, 
in the judgment of the Representatives, makes it impracticable or 
inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the 
Bonds on the terms and in the manner contemplated by the Prospectus, this 
Agreement and all obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be 
cancelled by the Representatives by notifying the Company in the manner and 
with the effect provided below in the last sentence of this Section 6. 

	(d) At the Time of Delivery the Representatives shall have received a 
certificate of the Chairman and President, Vice President and principal 
financial officer, Vice President and principal accounting officer or 
Treasurer of the Company, dated as of the Time of Delivery, to the effect 
that the signer of such certificate has carefully examined the Registration 
Statement, the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto and the 
Underwriting Agreement and that, in his opinion, at the time the 
Registration Statement became effective, the Registration Statement did not 
contain an untrue statement 

                          				       9



of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated 
therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading, 
and at the date of the Underwriting Agreement the Prospectus did not contain 
an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact requir-
ed to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not
misleading, and since the date of the Underwriting Agreement, no event has 
occurred which should have been set forth in an amendment of or supplement to 
the Prospectus which has not been so set forth; and no stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued and no 
proceedings therefor have been instituted or threatened by the Commission; 
and to the further effect that all the representations and warranties 
contained in Section 2 hereof are true and correct, with the same force and 
effect as though expressly made at the Time of Delivery. 

	(e) At the Time of Delivery counsel for the Underwriters shall have been 
furnished with such documents and opinions as they may reasonably require 
for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon the sale of the Bonds as 
herein contemplated and related proceedings, or in order to evidence the 
accuracy or completeness of any of the representations or warranties, or 
the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all 
proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the sale of the Bonds 
as herein contemplated shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the 
Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters. 

	If any of the conditions specified in this Section shall not have been 
fulfilled when and as required by this Agreement to be fulfilled, this 
Agreement and all obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be cancelled 
by the Representatives by notifying the Company of such cancellation in 
writing or by telecopy at any time at or prior to the Time of Delivery and any 
such cancellation shall be without liability of any party to any other party 
except as otherwise provided in this Agreement. 

	Section 7. Condition of Company's Obligations. The obligations of the 
Company to sell and deliver the Bonds are subject to the following conditions: 
that at the Time of Delivery no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the 
Registration Statement shall have been issued or proceedings therefor 
initiated or threatened; that the order of the Illinois Commerce Commission, 
referred to in Section 2(k), shall be in full force and effect substantially 
in the form in which such order shall originally have been entered; and that 
the Indenture shall be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act. 

	Section 8. Indemnification. (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold 
harmless each Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls any 
Underwriter within the meaning of the Act or the 1934 Act, as follows: 

	(i) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense, 
whatsoever, arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement 
of a material fact contained in the registration statement as it became 
effective, or in any amendment thereto, or in the Registration Statement 
(or any amendment thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom 
of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the 
statements therein not misleading, or arising out of any untrue statement 
or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any preliminary 
prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or 
the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in 
order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under 
which they were made, not misleading, unless such untrue statement or 
omission or such alleged untrue statement or omission was made in reliance 
upon and in conformity with written information respecting the Underwriters 
furnished to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the 
Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or any 
amendment thereto) or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement 
thereto); 

	(ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense 
whatsoever to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any 
litigation, commenced or threatened, or of any claim 

                          				       10



whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission or any such alleged 
untrue statement or omission, if such settlement is effected with the written 
consent of the Company; and 

	(iii) against any and all expenses whatsoever reasonably incurred in 
investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, commenced or 
threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or 
omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent 
that any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above, and, in the case 
of (i) above, unless such untrue statement or omission or such alleged 
untrue statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity 
with written information respecting the Underwriters furnished to the 
Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives 
expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) 
or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or, in the case 
of (ii) above, provided such settlement is effected with the written 
consent of the Company. 

	This indemnity agreement is subject to the condition that, insofar as it 
relates to any untrue statement, alleged untrue statement, omission or alleged 
omission made in a preliminary prospectus or preliminary prospectus 
supplement, but eliminated or remedied in the Prospectus, such indemnity 
agreement shall not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter from whom the 
person asserting any loss, liability, claim or damage purchases the Bonds 
which are the subject thereof (or to the benefit of any person who controls 
such Underwriter) if such Underwriter fails to send or give a copy of the 
Prospectus (excluding documents incorporated by reference) to such person 
prior to or together with written confirmation of the sale of such Bonds to 
such person and the delivery thereof would have constituted a defense to the 
claim by such person. 

	In no case shall the Company be liable under this indemnity agreement 
with respect to any claim made against any Underwriter or any such controlling 
person unless the Company shall be notified in writing of the nature of the 
claim within a reasonable time after the assertion thereof, but failure to so 
notify the Company shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have 
otherwise than on account of this indemnity agreement. The Company shall be 
entitled to participate at its own expense in the defense, or, if it so 
elects, within a reasonable time after receipt of such notice, to assume the 
defense of any suit brought to enforce any such claim, but if it so elects to 
assume the defense, such defense shall be conducted by counsel chosen by it 
and approved by the Underwriter or Underwriters or controlling person or 
persons, defendant or defendants in any suit so brought, which approval shall 
not be unreasonably withheld. In the event that the Company elects to assume 
the defense of any such suit and retains such counsel, the Underwriter or 
Underwriters or controlling person or persons, defendant or defendants in the 
suit shall thereafter bear the fees and expense of any additional counsel 
retained by them. In the event that the parties to any such action (including 
impleaded parties) include both the Company and one or more Underwriters and 
any such Underwriter shall have been advised by counsel chosen by it and 
satisfactory to the Company that there may be one or more legal defenses 
available to it which are different from or additional to those available to 
the Company, the Company shall not have the right to assume the defense of 
such action on behalf of such Underwriter and will reimburse such Underwriter 
and any person controlling such Underwriter as aforesaid for the reasonable 
fees and expenses of any counsel retained by them, it being understood that 
the Company shall not, in connection with any one action or separate but 
similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same 
general allegations or circumstances, be liable for the reasonable fees and 
expense of more than one separate firm of attorneys for all such Underwriters 
and controlling persons, which firm shall be designated in writing by the 
Representatives. The Company agrees to notify the Representatives within a 
reasonable time of the assertion of any claim against it, any of its officers 
or directors or any person who controls the Company within the meaning of the 
Act or the 1934 Act, in connection with the sale of the Bonds. 

	(b) Each Underwriter severally agrees that it will indemnify and hold 
harmless the Company, its directors, and each of its officers who signed the 
Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company 
within the meaning of the Act or the 1934 Act, to the same extent as the 
indemnity contained in subsection (a) of this Section, but only with respect 
to statements or omissions made in the registration statement as it became 
effective, or in any amendment thereto, or in the Registration Statement (or 
any amendment thereto) or the Prospectus (or any 

                        				       11 



amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information respecting the Underwriters furnished to the Company by or on behalf
of such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the 
Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) or the Prospectus (or any 
amendment or supplement thereto). In case any action shall be brought against 
the Company or any person so indemnified based on the Registration Statement 
(or any amendment thereto) or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement 
thereto) and in respect of which indemnity may be sought against any 
Underwriter, such Underwriter shall have the rights and duties given to the 
Company, and the Company and each person so indemnified shall have the rights 
and duties given to the Underwriters, by the provisions of subsection (a) of 
this Section.

	(c) The obligations of the Company under this Section 8 shall be in 
addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have and shall 
extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each person, if any, who 
controls any Underwriter within the meaning of the Act or the 1934 Act; and 
the obligations of the Underwriters under this Section 8 shall be in addition 
to any liability which the respective Underwriters may otherwise have and 
shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each officer and director 
of the Company and to each person, if any, who controls the Company within the 
meaning of the Act or the 1934 Act. 

	Section 9. Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive 
Delivery. All representations, warranties and agreements contained in the 
Underwriting Agreement and/or contained in certificates of officers of the 
Company submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and 
effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any 
Underwriter or any controlling person of any Underwriter, or by or on behalf 
of the Company, and shall survive payment for and delivery of the Bonds. 

	Section 10. Effective Date of the Underwriting Agreement and Termination 
Thereof. (a) The Underwriting Agreement shall become effective at the time of 
the initial public offering by the Underwriters of any of the Bonds. The time 
of the initial public offering shall mean 12:00 noon, New York City time, on 
the first full business day after the Underwriting Agreement is executed or at 
such time as the Representatives may authorize the sale of the Bonds to the 
public by the Underwriters or other securities dealers, whichever shall first 
occur. The Representatives or the Company may prevent the Underwriting 
Agreement from becoming effective without liability of any party to any other 
party, except as otherwise provided in the Underwriting Agreement, by giving 
the notice indicated below in this Section prior to the time the Underwriting 
Agreement would otherwise become effective as herein provided. 

      (b) The Representatives shall have the right to terminate the Underwriting
Agreement by giving the notice indicated below in this Section at any time at 
or prior to the Time of Delivery if (i) the Company shall have sustained since 
the respective dates as of which information is given in the Prospectus any 
material loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or 
other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute 
or court or governmental action, order or decree; or (ii) since the respective 
dates as of which information is given in the Prospectus there shall have been 
any material increase in the long-term debt, or any material adverse change, 
or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or 
affecting the general business affairs, management, financial position, 
results of operations, or business prospects of the Company and its 
subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, otherwise than as set forth or 
contemplated in the Prospectus, the effect of which, in any such case 
described in clause (i) or (ii), in the judgment of the Representatives makes 
it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the 
delivery of the Bonds on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the 
Prospectus; or (iii) there shall have occurred the outbreak or escalation of 
hostilities involving in a significant way the armed forces of the United 
States, or the declaration by the United States, on or after the date of the 
Underwriting Agreement, of a national emergency or war, or there shall have 
occurred a general suspension or limitation of trading in securities on the 
New York or American Stock Exchanges, or the establishment of minimum prices 
on either such Exchange, or a general moratorium on commercial banking 
activities in New York is declared by either federal or New York state 
authorities, the effect of which in the judgment of the Representatives makes 
it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the 
delivery of 

                           				       12



the Bonds on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the 
Prospectus. If the Representatives shall so terminate the Underwriting 
Agreement, such termination shall be without liability of any party to any 
other party except as otherwise provided in the Underwriting Agreement. 

	(c) If the Representatives elect to prevent the Underwriting Agreement 
from becoming effective or to terminate the Underwriting Agreement as provided 
in this Section, the Company and each other Underwriter shall be notified 
promptly by the Representatives, by telephone or telegram, confirmed by 
letter. If the Company elects to prevent the Underwriting Agreement from 
becoming effective as provided in this Section, the Representatives shall be 
notified promptly by the Company by telephone or telegram, confirmed by 
letter. 

	Section 11. Default of Underwriters. If any one or more of the 
Underwriters shall fail at the Time of Delivery to purchase the amount of Bonds 
which it or they are obligated to purchase hereunder (the ''Defaulted Bonds''), 
then the Representatives shall have the right, within 24 hours thereafter, to 
make arrangements for one or more of the non-defaulting Underwriters, or any 
other underwriters, to purchase all, but not less than all, of the Defaulted 
Bonds in such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set forth.
If, however, during such 24 hours the Representatives shall not have completed 
such arrangements for the purchase of all of the Defaulted Bonds, then the 
Company shall be entitled to a further period of 24 hours within which to 
procure another party or parties satisfactory to the Representatives to 
purchase all of such Defaulted Bonds on such terms. If, after giving effect to 
any arrangements for the purchase of Defaulted Bonds by the Representatives 
and the Company as provided above, then: 

	(a) if the amount of Defaulted Bonds does not exceed 10% of the 
aggregate principal amount of the Bonds being sold hereunder, the 
non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated to purchase severally the 
full amount thereof in the proportions that their respective underwriting 
obligations hereunder bear to the underwriting obligations of all 
non-defaulting Underwriters, or 

	(b) if the amount of Defaulted Bonds exceeds 10% of the aggregate 
principal amount of the Bonds being sold hereunder, the Underwriting 
Agreement shall terminate without any liability on the part of the Company 
or any non-defaulting Underwriter. 

	The termination of the Underwriting Agreement pursuant to this Section 
shall be without liability on the part of the Company or any of said 
non-defaulting Underwriters, except for the respective obligations of the 
Company and the Underwriters pursuant to Section 8 and except that the Company 
shall be obligated to reimburse the Underwriters for their out-of-pocket 
expenses (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the 
Underwriters) incurred in connection with the offering if the Underwriting 
Agreement could have been terminated by the Representatives pursuant to 
Section 6 or 10(b). 

	Nothing herein shall relieve any Underwriter so defaulting from 
liability, if any, for such default. 

	In the event of a default by any one or more Underwriters as set forth 
in this Section, either the Representatives or the Company shall have the right 
to postpone the Time of Delivery for an additional period not exceeding 7 days 
in order that any required changes in the Registration Statement and 
Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. 

	Section 12. Notices. Except as otherwise provided in the Underwriting 
Agreement, all communications under the Underwriting Agreement shall be in 
writing, and, if sent to the Underwriters, shall be mailed, delivered or 
telecopied and confirmed to the address of the Representatives, as set forth 
in the Underwriting Agreement (except that any notice to an Underwriter 
pursuant to Section 8 hereof shall be sent to it at its address set forth in 
the copies of the Underwriters' Questionnaires furnished to the Company), or, 
if sent to the Company shall be mailed or telecopied and confirmed to it at 
P.O. Box 190, Aurora, Illinois 60507-0190, or delivered to it at 1844 Ferry 
Road, Naperville, Illinois, for the attention of Donald W. Lohrentz, Vice 
President and Treasurer. 

	Section 13. Parties. The Underwriting Agreement shall insure to the 
benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriters and the Company and their 
respective successors. Nothing expressed or mentioned in the 

                     				       13  
					 


Underwriting Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, 
firm or corporation, other than the parties hereto and their respective 
successors and the controlling persons and the directors and officers referred 
to in Section 8, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in 
respect of the Underwriting Agreement or any provision herein contained; the 
Underwriting Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof being intended 
to be and being for the sole and exclusive benefit of the parties hereto and 
their respective successors and said controlling persons, directors and officers
and for the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of any
Bonds from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of
such purchase. 

	Section 14. Choice of Law. The Underwriting Agreement shall be construed 
in accordance with, and governed by, the laws of the State of Illinois. 
 
                            				       14



                                                 NORTHERN ILLINOIS GAS COMPANY
                                                 FORM 10-Q
                                                 EXHIBIT 4.01 


                    			   Supplemental Indenture 


		     


                      			    DATED MAY 10, 1996 


		     


                 		      NORTHERN ILLINOIS GAS COMPANY 



                              				   TO 



                		      HARRIS TRUST AND SAVINGS BANK 
                 		 (successor to BANK OF AMERICA ILLINOIS) 


                 		  TRUSTEE UNDER INDENTURE DATED AS OF 
	                 	   JANUARY 1, 1954 AND SUPPLEMENTAL 
                        			  INDENTURES THERETO 


		     


             		AMENDMENTS TO ARTICLES I, IV, VI, X, XVII and XIX 
 




This instrument was prepared by Richard J. Lannon, 1844 Ferry Road, 
Naperville, Illinois 60563-9600. 





This Supplemental Indenture, dated the tenth day of May, 1996, between 
Northern Illinois Gas Company, a corporation organized and existing 
under the laws of the State of Illinois (hereinafter called the 
''Company''), and Harris Trust and Savings Bank, an Illinois banking 
corporation (hereinafter called the ''Trustee''), as Trustee under an 
Indenture dated as of January 1, 1954, as supplemented by Supplemental 
Indentures dated, respectively, February 9, 1954, April 1, 1956, June 
1, 1959, July 1, 1960, June 1, 1963, July 1, 1963, August 1, 1964, 
August 1, 1965, May 1, 1966, August 1, 1966, July 1, 1967, June 1, 
1968, December 1, 1969, August 1, 1970, June 1, 1971, July 1, 1972, 
July 1, 1973, April 1, 1975, April 30, 1976, April 30, 1976, July 1,  
1976, August 1, 1976, December 1, 1977, January 15, 1979, December 1, 
1981, March 1, 1983, October 1, 1984, December 1, 1986, March 15, 1988, 
July 1, 1988, July 1, 1989, July 15, 1990, August 15, 1991, July 15, 
1992, February 1, 1993, March 15, 1993, May 1, 1993, July 1, 1993, 
August 15, 1994 and October 15, 1995, such Indenture dated as of 
January 1, 1954, as so supplemented, being hereinafter called the 
''Indenture.'' 

Witnesseth: 

	Whereas, the Trustee has become fully vested with all estates, 
authority, rights, trusts, powers, duties and obligations of Bank of 
America Illinois under the Indenture pursuant to that certain 
Instrument of Resignation, Appointment and Acceptance dated as of 
January 26, 1996, attached hereto as Exhibit A, and Section 17.07 of 
the Indenture; and 

	Whereas, the Company desires to amend the Indenture and has requested 
that the Trustee join it in the execution and delivery of this 
Supplemental Indenture in order to amend the Indenture as set forth 
herein; and 

	Whereas, this Supplemental Indenture is being entered into pursuant to 
Section 20.01(d) of the Indenture which provides that supplemental 
indentures may be entered into by the Company and the Trustee to modify 
any of the provisions of the Indenture for the purpose of relieving the 
Company from any of the obligations, conditions or restrictions 
contained therein, subject to the provisions of Section 19.07 of the 
Indenture relating to approval of such modification by a vote of 
bondholders; and 

	Whereas, all acts and things necessary to make this Supplemental 
Indenture, when duly executed and delivered, a valid, binding and legal 
instrument in accordance with its terms and for the purposes herein 
expressed, have been done 



                           				       2

and performed, and the execution and delivery of this Supplemental Indenture 
have in all respects been duly authorized; 

	Now, Therefore, in consideration of the premises and of the sum of one 
dollar paid by the Trustee to the Company, and for other good and 
valuable considerations, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, 
it is agreed by and between the Company and the Trustee as follows: 


                                  ARTICLE ONE 

                           Modifications of Indenture 

	Section 1. The definition of ''Board of Directors'' in Section 1.09 of 
the Indenture is hereby deleted in its entirety and replaced by the 
following: 

	The term ''Board of Directors'' shall mean either the Board of 
Directors of the Company or any duly authorized committee of the 
Board of Directors. 

	Section 2. The definition of ''authorized newspaper'' in Section 1.31 
of the Indenture is hereby deleted in its entirety and replaced by the 
following: 

	The term ''authorized newspaper'', when used in connection with 
the name of a particular city, shall mean a newspaper printed in the 
English language, of general circulation in such city and 
customarily published at least once in each of five days (except in 
case of legal holidays) in each calendar week. 

	Section 3. The definition of ''office of the Trustee'' in Section 1.32 
of the Indenture is hereby deleted in its entirety and replaced by the 
following: 

	The term ''office of the Trustee'' shall mean the principal 
office of the Trustee at which at any particular time its corporate 
trust business shall be administered. 

	Section 4. Article IV of the Indenture is hereby amended by adding a 
new Section 4.17 to read as follows: 

	Section 4.17. All determinations and authorizations required or 
permitted by this Article IV to be made by the Board of Directors 
may be made by any duly authorized officer or officers of the 
Company if a resolution permitting such officer or officers to make 
such determinations or authorizations in lieu of the Board of 
Directors is delivered to the Trustee. Any determination or 
authorization made by such officer or officers pursuant to 



                       				       3

such resolution shall be evidenced by a written instrument signed by such 
officer or officers and delivered to the Trustee. 

	Section 5. Section 6.04 of the Indenture is hereby deleted in its 
entirety and replaced by the following: 

	Upon application by the Company to the Trustee for the 
authentication and delivery of bonds under the provisions of Section 
6.05, 6.06 or 6.07, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee the 
following: 

	(a) a resolution authorizing the execution and issuance of 
and requesting the Trustee to authenticate and deliver bonds, 
specifying the principal amount and series thereof, and any other 
matters with respect thereto required or permitted by this 
Indenture or a resolution permitting one or more officers of the 
Company to authorize the execution and issuance of bonds together 
with a written instrument signed by such officer or officers 
requesting the Trustee to authenticate and deliver bonds; 

	(b) if an interim certificate is not filed in connection 
with the particular application for the authentication and 
delivery of bonds, an officers' certificate stating that to the 
knowledge of the signers the Company is not in default under any 
of the provisions of this Indenture, and that all conditions 
precedent provided for in this Indenture relating to the 
authentication and delivery of the bonds applied for have been 
complied with; 

	(c) an opinion of counsel stating, in the signer's 
opinion, (1) that the issuance of such bonds has been duly 
authorized by the necessary corporate action and by any and all 
governmental authorities the consent of which is required for the 
legal issuance of such bonds, and specifying any officially 
authenticated orders or other documents by which such consent is 
or may be evidenced, or that no such consent is required; (2) 
that, since the date of the last previous opinion of counsel 
filed with the Trustee pursuant to the provisions of this Article 
VI, or since the actual date of execution and delivery of this 
Indenture in the case of the first such opinion filed under this 
Article VI, none of the mortgaged property has become subject to 
any lien or encumbrance prior to the lien of this Indenture as 
security for the additional bonds then applied for, except (i) 
permitted liens and (ii) prior liens on property, including 
additions thereto, acquired by the Company after January 31, 
1954; and (3) if an interim certificate is not filed in 
connection with the particular application for the authentication 
and delivery of bonds, that all conditions precedent provided for 
in this Indenture relating to the authentication and delivery of 
the bonds applied for have been complied with; 



                        				       4

	(d) the officially authenticated orders or other 
documents, if any, specified in such opinion of counsel; and 

	(e) in case such bonds constitute the initial issue of 
bonds of a particular series, a supplemental indenture of the 
character referred to in Section 4.02. 

	Section 6. Section 10.03 of the Indenture is hereby deleted in its 
entirety and replaced by the following: 

	Unless the Company is in default under any of the provisions of 
this Indenture, the Company may, if deemed desirable in the conduct 
of its gas utility business, sell or otherwise dispose of at any 
time, under and subject to the provisions of this Section 10.03, any 
part of the mortgaged property, and the Trustee shall from time to 
time release from the lien hereof any part of the mortgaged property 
so sold or otherwise disposed of, or contracted to be so sold or 
otherwise disposed of, upon receipt by the Trustee of the following: 


	(a) a resolution requesting such release and stating that 
such release is, in the opinion of the Board of Directors, 
desirable in the conduct of the gas utility business of the 
Company (provided that no such resolution need be furnished if 
the fair value of the property to be released, as stated in the 
engineer's certificate specified under (f) of this Section 10.03, 
is not more than $300,000); 

	(b) an officers' certificate stating: 
	(1) that the property to be released has been sold 
	or otherwise disposed of or contracted to be sold or       
	otherwise disposed of, such property to be described in 
	reasonable detail; 

	(2) the amount of the consideration received or to 
	be received for the property to be released which shall be 
	the sum of (i) the amount of any cash received or to be 
	received, (ii) the principal amount of any purchase money 
	obligations received or to be received, (iii) the principal 
	amount of any obligations assumed or to be assumed by the 
	purchaser, (iv) the fair value, as stated in an independent 
	appraiser's certificate, of any securities, other than 
	purchase money obligations, received or to be received, and 
	(v) the fair value, as stated in an independent engineer's 
	certificate, of any property, other than securities, received 
	or to be received, after deducting from such sum, at the 
	election of the Company, the fair value, as stated in an 
	independent engineer's certificate, of any property excepted 
	from the lien of this Indenture and sold or otherwise 
	disposed of or contracted to be sold or otherwise disposed of 
	in the same transaction but not for a separate consideration; 
	and 


                             					5

	(3) that to the knowledge of the signers the 
	Company is not in default under any of the provisions of this 
	Indenture, and that all conditions precedent provided for in 
	this Indenture relating to such release have been complied 
	with; 

	(c) in case the determination of the amount of the 
	consideration received or to be received for the property to be 
	released shall require the stating of the fair value of 
	securities received or to be received, an independent appraiser's 
	certificate stating, in the signer's opinion, the fair value, as 
	of a date within sixty days of the date of such application, of 
	such securities; 

	(d) in case the determination of the amount of the 
	consideration received or to be received for the property to be 
	released shall require the stating of the fair value of property, 
	other than securities, received or to be received, an independent 
	engineer's certificate stating, in the signer's opinion, the fair 
	value, as of a date within sixty days of the date of such 
	application, of such property; 

	(e) in case the determination of the amount of the 
	consideration received or to be received for the property to be 
	released shall require the stating of the fair value of property 
	excepted from the lien of this Indenture and sold or otherwise 
	disposed of or contracted to be sold or otherwise disposed of in 
	the same transaction but not for a separate consideration, an 
	independent engineer's certificate stating, in the signer's 
	opinion, the fair value, as of a date within sixty days of the 
	date of such application, of such excepted property; 

	(f) an engineer's certificate stating, in the signer's 
	opinion, the fair value, as of a date within sixty days of the 
	date of such application, of the property to be released, which 
	fair value, as stated in such certificate, shall not be less than 
	the amount of the consideration received or to be received for 
	the property to be released, and that such release will not 
	impair the security under this Indenture in contravention of the 
	provisions hereof; 

	(g) in case the fair value of the property to be released, 
	as shown by the engineer's certificate specified under (f) of 
	this Section 10.03, is 1% or more of the aggregate principal 
	amount of the bonds outstanding at the time of such application, 
	an independent engineer's certificate stating, in the signer's 
	opinion, the fair value, as of a date within sixty days of the 
	date of such application, of the property to be released, which 
	fair value, as stated in such certificate, shall not be less than 
	the amount of the consideration received or to be received for 
	the property to be released, and that such release will not 
	impair the security under this Indenture in contravention of the 
	provisions hereof; 



                        				       6

	(h) cash in an amount, subject to reduction as permitted 
	under Section 10.04, equal to the fair value of the property to 
	be released as stated in the engineer's certificate specified 
	under (f) of this Section 10.03, or as stated in the independent 
	engineer's certificate, if any, filed pursuant to (g) of this 
	Section 10.03 if such fair value as stated in such independent 
	engineer's certificate shall be greater than such fair value as 
	stated in such engineer's certificate; and 

	(i) an opinion of counsel stating, in the signer's 
	opinion, that all conditions precedent provided for in this 
	Indenture relating to such release have been complied with. 

	All cash deposited with the Trustee pursuant to the provisions of 
	this Section 10.03 shall be held by the Trustee as a part of the 
	mortgaged property, and shall be paid over, withdrawn, used or 
	applied in the manner, to the extent, for the purposes and subject 
	to the conditions set forth in Section 11.03. 

	Section 7. Section 17.05 of the Indenture is hereby deleted in its 
	entirety and replaced by the following: 


	If the Trustee shall at any time cease to be a bank or trust 
company in good standing organized and doing business under the laws 
of the United States or of any State, and having a combined capital 
and surplus of not less than $5,000,000, which is authorized under 
the laws of the jurisdiction of incorporation to exercise corporate 
trust powers and is subject to supervision or examination by Federal 
or State authority, then the Trustee shall resign within thirty days 
thereafter, such resignation to become effective upon the 
appointment of a successor Trustee and such successor's acceptance 
of such appointment. If the Trustee publishes reports of condition 
at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of the 
aforesaid supervising or examining authority, the combined capital 
and surplus of the Trustee shall be deemed to be its combined 
capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of 
condition so published. If the Trustee shall fail or refuse to 
resign within such period, or if the Trustee has or shall acquire 
any conflicting interest of the character specified in Section 17.04 
and shall fail or refuse either to eliminate such conflicting 
interest or to resign within the period in Section 17.04 provided in 
respect of such resignation, then (a) the Trustee shall, within ten 
days after the expiration of such period, transmit notice of such 
failure or refusal to the bondholders in the manner and to the 
extent provided under Section 17.10(c); and (b) any bondholder who 
has been the bona fide holder of a bond for at least six months may, 
subject to the provisions of Section 13.20, on behalf of himself and 
all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent 
jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee and the appointment of a 
successor, if the Trustee fails, after written 



                           				       7

request therefor by such bondholder, to comply with the provisions of 
Section 17.04. 

	Section 8. Section 17.06 of the Indenture is hereby deleted in its 
entirety and replaced by the following: 

	The Trustee and any successor to the Trustee may resign and be 
discharged from the trust created by this Indenture by giving notice 
thereof in writing to the Company, specifying the date when such 
resignation shall take effect, and by giving notice thereof to the 
bondholders, in the manner and to the extent provided under Section 
17.10(c), and, unless all bonds then outstanding are registered 
bonds without coupons, by publishing such notice at least once a 
week for three successive calendar weeks (the first such publication 
to be not less than thirty days nor more than sixty days prior to 
the effective date of such resignation) in one authorized newspaper 
in the City of Chicago, State of Illinois, and in one authorized 
newspaper in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, State 
of New York. Subject to the provisions of Sections 17.04 and 17.05, 
such resignation shall take effect on the date specified in such 
notice unless previously a successor Trustee shall have been 
appointed as hereinafter provided, in which event such resignation 
shall take effect upon the appointment of such successor Trustee. 

	The Trustee or any successor Trustee may be removed at any time 
by the holders of a majority in principal amount of the bonds at the 
time outstanding, upon payment to the Trustee so removed of all 
moneys then due to it hereunder, by an instrument or concurrent 
instruments in writing, signed in duplicate by such holders. One 
copy shall be filed with the Company and the other with the Trustee 
so removed. 

	In case at any time the Trustee or any successor Trustee shall 
resign, be dissolved or be removed or otherwise shall become 
disqualified to act or incapable of acting, or in case control of 
the Trustee or of any successor Trustee, or of its officers shall be 
taken over by any public officer or officers, the Company, by an 
instrument in writing, executed by order of the Board of Directors, 
shall appoint a successor Trustee. Every successor Trustee shall be 
a bank or trust company in good standing organized and doing 
business under the laws of the United States or of any State, and 
(a) which shall be a corporation having a combined capital and 
surplus of not less than $5,000,000, (b) which shall be authorized 
under the laws of the jurisdiction of incorporation to exercise 
corporate trust powers, and (c) which shall be subject to 
supervision or examination by a Federal or State authority. If such 
successor Trustee publishes reports of condition at least annually, 
pursuant to law or to the requirements of such supervising or 
examining authority, the combined capital and surplus of such 
successor 



                        				       8
				     
Trustee shall be deemed to be its combined capital and 
surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so 
published. 

	If in a proper case no appointment of a successor Trustee shall 
be made pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Article XVII 
within six months after a vacancy shall have occurred in the office 
of Trustee, the holder of any bond or the retiring Trustee may apply 
to any court, State or Federal, having jurisdiction to appoint a 
successor Trustee, and such court may thereupon, after such notice, 
if any, as such court may deem proper and prescribe, appoint a 
successor Trustee. 

	Section 9. Section 17.07 of the Indenture is hereby deleted in its 
entirety and replaced by the following: 

	Any successor Trustee appointed hereunder shall execute, 
acknowledge and deliver to its predecessor Trustee and also to the 
Company, an instrument in writing accepting such appointment 
hereunder, and thereupon such successor Trustee, without any further 
act, deed or conveyance, shall become fully vested with all the 
estates, authority, rights, trusts, powers, duties and obligations 
of its predecessor Trustee and be entitled to the immediate delivery 
by such predecessor Trustee of any part of the mortgaged property in 
the hands or under the control of such predecessor Trustee and all 
the estate, right, title and interest of such predecessor Trustee in 
the mortgaged property shall wholly cease and determine; but the 
Trustee ceasing to act shall nevertheless, on the written request of 
the Company or of the successor Trustee, execute, acknowledge and 
deliver an appropriate instrument in writing transferring to such 
successor Trustee upon the trusts herein expressed, all the estates, 
properties, rights, powers and trusts of the predecessor Trustee so 
ceasing to act (but may retain and reserve its lien upon the 
mortgaged property for its reasonable compensation and expenses, if 
any thereof remain unpaid), and shall duly assign, transfer and 
deliver all property and cash held by such Trustee to the successor 
Trustee, it being understood that all securities, cash and other 
pledged property the custody of which is given to the Trustee shall 
always be in its custody or in that of its proper successor in 
trust. Should any deed, conveyance or instrument in writing from the 
Company be required by the successor Trustee for more fully and 
certainly vesting in, and confirming to, such successor Trustee such 
estates, rights, powers and duties, any and all such deeds, 
conveyances and instruments in writing shall be executed, 
acknowledged and delivered by the Company to the successor Trustee 
upon the latter's request. The Company shall promptly give notice of 
the appointment of any successor Trustee to the bondholders in the 
manner and to the extent provided under Section 17.10(c) and, unless 
all bonds then outstanding are registered bonds without coupons, by 
publishing such notice at least once in each week for two successive 
calendar weeks in one authorized newspaper in the City of 



                            				       9
     
Chicago, State of Illinois, and in one authorized newspaper in the Borough of 
Manhattan, The City of New York, State of New York. 

	Section 10. Section 19.08 of the Indenture is hereby deleted in its 
entirety and replaced by the following: 

	A record in duplicate of the proceedings of each meeting of 
bondholders shall be prepared by the permanent Secretary of the 
meeting and shall have attached thereto the original reports of the 
inspectors of votes, and an affidavit by a person having knowledge 
of the facts setting forth a copy of the notice or waiver of notice 
of the meeting and, in the case of any adjournment for more than 
fourteen days, a copy of the notice or waiver of notice of 
adjournment thereof, and showing that such notice or notices, unless 
waived, were given as hereinabove provided. Such record shall be 
signed and verified by the affidavits of the permanent Chairman and 
the permanent Secretary of the meeting, and by a duly authorized 
representative of the Trustee if such a representative shall have 
been present at the meeting, and one copy thereof shall be delivered 
to the Company and the other to the Trustee for preservation by the 
Trustee. Any record so signed and verified shall be proof of the 
matters therein stated until the contrary is proved, and the meeting 
to which such record relates shall be deemed conclusively to have 
been duly convened and held, and any resolution or proceeding stated 
in such record to have been adopted or taken shall be deemed 
conclusively to have been duly adopted or taken at such meeting. No 
resolution adopted at such meeting shall be binding unless the 
subject matter of such resolution is within the scope of the 
business stated in the notice, if any, of such meeting given 
pursuant to the provisions of Section 19.02, and unless and until 
such resolution shall have been approved by resolution of the Board 
of Directors. Such resolution, if adopted by the Board of Directors, 
shall be filed by the Company with the Trustee and from and after 
the date of such filing such resolution shall be deemed conclusively 
to be binding upon the Company, the Trustee and the bondholders; 
provided, however, that no such resolution adopted at a meeting of 
the bondholders and no such resolution of approval adopted by the 
Board of Directors shall in any manner be construed so as to change 
or modify any of the rights, immunities or obligations of the 
Trustee without its written assent thereto. Copies of any 
resolution, or of a summary thereof, adopted at such meeting of 
bondholders, if approved by resolution of the Board of Directors as 
above provided, shall be mailed by the Trustee to bondholders in the 
manner and to the extent provided under Section 17.10(c), and proof 
of such mailing by the affidavit of a person having knowledge of the 
facts shall be filed with the Trustee, and, unless all of the bonds 
then outstanding are registered bonds without coupons, a copy or 
summary of such resolution shall be published by the Company in one 
authorized newspaper in the City of Chicago, State of Illinois, and 
in one authorized newspaper in the Borough of Manhattan, The 



                        				       10
				       
City of New York, State of New York, at least once in each of two successive 
calendar weeks, the first publication to be not more than fifteen 
days after the approval of such resolution by the Board of 
Directors; provided, however, that the mailing of copies of such 
resolution or of such summary shall in no case be a condition 
precedent to the validity or effectiveness of such resolution, and 
neither failure to mail such copies nor any imperfection or defect 
therein shall affect the validity or effectiveness of such 
resolution. 

	Section 11. Article XIX of the Indenture is hereby amended by adding a 
new Section 19.11 to read as follows: 

	Section 19.11. Any request, demand, authorization, direction, 
notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by this Indenture 
to be given or taken by bondholders (including any action required 
or permitted by the provisions of this Article XIX to be taken at a 
meeting of bondholders) may be given or taken without a meeting of 
bondholders if embodied in and evidenced by one or more written 
instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such 
bondholders in person or by agent or proxy duly appointed in 
writing; and except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such 
action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments 
are delivered to the Trustee. Subject to the provisions of Section 
17.02, proof of the execution of any instrument by a bondholder or 
the agent or proxy for such bondholder shall be sufficient if made 
in accordance with such reasonable rules and regulations as may be 
prescribed by the Trustee or in such manner as shall be satisfactory 
to the Trustee. 


                          				ARTICLE TWO 

                    			 Miscellaneous Provisions 


	Section 1. This Supplemental Indenture is executed by the Company and 
the Trustee pursuant to provisions of Section 20.01 of the Indenture 
and the terms and conditions hereof shall be deemed to be a part of the 
terms and conditions of the Indenture for any and all purposes. The 
Indenture, as heretofore supplemented and as supplemented by this 
Supplemental Indenture, is in all respects ratified and confirmed. 

	Section 2. This Supplemental Indenture shall bind and, subject to the 
provisions of Article XVI of the Indenture, inure to the benefit of the 
respective successors and assigns of the parties hereto. 

	Section 3. This Supplemental Indenture may be simultaneously executed 
in any number of counterparts, and all such counterparts executed and 
delivered, each as an original, shall constitute but one and the same 
instrument. 



                       				       11

	In Witness Whereof, Northern Illinois Gas Company has caused this 
Supplemental Indenture to be executed in its name by its President or a 
Vice President, and its corporate seal to be hereunto affixed and 
attested by its Secretary or its Assistant Secretary, and Harris Trust 
and Savings Bank, as Trustee under the Indenture, has caused this 
Supplemental Indenture to be executed in its name by a Vice President, 
and its seal to be hereunto affixed and attested by its Assistant 
Secretary, all as of the day and year first above written. 

Northern Illinois Gas Company 

 
By   
       	Vice President 

                                             					Attest: 

 

                                                     						Assistant Secretary 

Harris Trust and Savings Bank, 
	as Trustee 

 
By   
        	Vice President 

                                            					Attest: 

 

                                                     						Assistant Secretary 



                                				       12

State of Illinois}  ss:
County of DuPage} 



	I, Beth A. Aussem, Notary Public in the State aforesaid, Do Hereby 
Certify that Richard J. Lannon, Vice President and Treasurer of 
Northern Illinois Gas Company, an Illinois corporation, one of the 
parties described in and which executed the foregoing instrument, and 
Alexander C. Allison, Assistant Secretary of said corporation, who are 
both personally known to me to be the same persons whose names are 
subscribed to the foregoing instrument as such Vice President and 
Assistant Secretary, respectively, and who are both personally known to 
me to be the Vice President and the Assistant Secretary, respectively, 
of said corporation, appeared before me this day in person and 
severally acknowledged that they signed, sealed, executed and delivered 
said instrument as their free and voluntary act as such Vice President 
and Assistant Secretary, respectively, of said corporation, and as the 
free and voluntary act of said corporation, for the uses and purposes 
therein set forth. 

	Given under my hand and notarial seal this   th day of June A.D. 
1996. 


 

                                              						Notary Public 

My Commission expires March 23, 1999. 



	                            			       13
 
State of Illinois} ss:
County of Cook}  
 

	I, Kimberley Lange, a Notary Public in and for said County, in the 
State aforesaid, Do Hereby Certify that J. Bartolini, Vice President of 
Harris Trust & Savings, an Illinois banking corporation, one of the 
parties described in and which executed the foregoing instrument, and 
D. G. Donovan, Assistant Secretary of said banking corporation, who are 
both personally known to me to be the same persons whose names are 
subscribed to the foregoing instrument as such Vice President and 
Assistant Secretary, respectively, and who are both personally known to 
me to be a Vice President and an Assistant Secretary, respectively, of 
said banking corporation, appeared before me this day in person and 
severally acknowledged that they signed, sealed, executed and delivered 
said instrument as their free and voluntary act as such Vice President 
and Assistant Vice President, respectively, of said banking 
corporation, and as the free and voluntary act of said banking 
corporation, for the uses and purposes therein set forth. 

	Given under my hand and notarial seal this   th day of June A.D. 1996.



 

                                            						Notary Public 

My Commission expires December 14, 1997. 



                              				       14

                              				 RECORDING DATA 

	This Supplemental Indenture was recorded                  , in the 
office of the Recorder of Deeds in certain counties in the State of 
Illinois, as follows: 

	            County                   Book     Page        Document No.    
	    Adams   
	    Boone   
	    Bureau  
	    Carroll 
	    Champaign       
	    Cook    
	    DeKalb  
	    DeWitt      Microfilm         
	    DuPage  
	    Ford    
	    Grundy  
	    Hancock 
	    Henderson       
	    Henry   
	    Iroquois        
	    Jo Daviess      
	    Kane    
	    Kankakee        
	    Kendall 
	    Lake    
	    La Salle        
	    Lee     
	    Livingston      
	    McHenry 
	    McLean         Microfilm         
	    Mercer  
	    Ogle    
	    Piatt   
	    Pike    
	    Rock Island     
	    Stephenson      
	    Tazewell        
	    Vermilion       
	    Whiteside       
	    Will    
	    Winnebago       
	    Woodford 



                                                        								 Exhibit A



	     INSTRUMENT OF RESIGNATION, APPOINTMENT AND ACCEPTANCE
	
	This INSTRUMENT OF RESIGNATION, APPOINTMENT AND ACCEPTANCE (this 
  "Instrument"), dated as of January 26, 1996 (the "Execution Date"), by and 
  among Northern Illinois Gas Company, a corporation duly organized and 
  existing under the laws of the State of Illinois (the "Company"), Bank of
  America Illinois, an Illinois state banking corporation (the "Resigning 
  Trustee") and Harris Trust and Savings Bank, an Illinois state banking 
  corporation (the "Successor Trustee").

	WHEREAS, Commonwealth Edison Company and the Resigning Trustee 
   (formerly known as Continental Illinois National Bank and Trust Company of 
   Chicago) entered into an indenture, dated as of January 1, 1954, as amended 
   and supplemented (the "Indenture") which Indenture was adopted by a 
   predecessor of the Company pursuant to an Indenture of Adoption dated 
   February 9, 1954;

	WHEREAS, the Indenture provides for the issuance from time to time 
  thereunder, in series, of bonds of the Company for its lawful corporate 
  purposes (the "Bonds"); and

	WHEREAS, the Resigning Trustee has been acting as Trustee, paying 
  agent, registrar and transfer agent under the Indenture; and

	WHEREAS, Section 17.06 of the Indenture provides that the Trustee may 
resign and be discharged of the trust created by the Indenture by giving notice 
thereof in writing to the Company specifying the date when such resignation 
shall take effect, and by giving notice thereof to the bondholders, in 
accordance with Section 17.10(c) of the Indenture; and

	WHEREAS, the Resigning Trustee hereby notifies the Company in writing of 
its resignation to become effective as of February 26, 1996; and

	WHEREAS, Section 17.06 of the Indenture provides that in case the 
Trustee shall resign, the Company by an instrument in writing executed by order 
of the Board of Directors shall appoint a successor Trustee; and

	WHEREAS, Section 17.06 of the Indenture provides every successor Trustee 
shall be qualified under the provision of such Section; and

	WHEREAS, Section 17.07 of the Indenture provides that any successor 
Trustee appointed under the Indenture shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to 
its predecessor Trustee and also to the Company an instrument in writing 
accepting such appointment and thereupon such successor Trustee, without any 
further act, deed or conveyance, shall become fully vested with all the estates,



				      1

authority, rights, trusts, powers, duties and obligations of the Resigning 
Trustee; and

	NOW, THEREFORE, pursuant to the Indenture and in consideration of the 
covenants herein contained, it is agreed as follows (words and phrases not 
otherwise defined in this Instrument shall have the meaning given thereto in the
Indenture):

			    THE RESIGNING TRUSTEE

	1.   Pursuant to the terms of the Indenture, the Resigning Trustee here-
by notifies the Company that the Resigning Trustee is resigning as Trustee under
the Indenture effective as of February 26, 1996 (the "Effective Date").

	2.   Effective as of the Effective Date, the Resigning Trustee hereby 
assigns, transfers, delivers and confirms to the Successor Trustee all of its 
estates, authority, rights, trusts, powers, duties and obligations of the 
Resigning Trustee under the Indenture.

	3.   The Resigning Trustee agrees to execute and deliver such further 
instruments and shall take such further actions as the Successor Trustee or the 
Company may reasonably request so as to more fully and certainly vest and 
confirm in the Successor Trustee all the estates, authority, rights, trusts, 
powers, duties and obligations hereby assigned, transferred, delivered and 
confirmed to the Successor Trustee, including without limitation, the execution 
and delivery of any instruments required to re-perfect all liens that it may 
have on the trust in the name of the Successory Trustee.

	4.   Promptly after the execution and delivery of this Instrument, the 
Resigning Trustee shall cause notice of its resignation, effected hereby to be 
given as is required purusant to Section 17.06 of the Indenture.

	5.   Promptly after the Effective Date, the Resigning Trustee shall 
provide the governing documents to the Successor Trustee.

				 THE COMPANY

	1.   Effective as of the Effective Date, the Company hereby accepts the 
resignation of the Resigning Trustee and appoints the Successor Trustee as 
successor in trust under the Indenture and confirms to the Successor Trustee all
of the estates, authority, rights, trusts, powers, duties and obligations of the
Trustee under the Indenture.



				       2

	2.   The Company agrees to execute and deliver such further instruments 
and to take such further action as the Successor Trustee may reasonably request 
so as to more fully and certainly vest and confirm in the Successor Trustee all 
the estates, authority, rights, trusts, powers, duties and obligations hereby 
assigned, transferred, delivered and confirmed to the Successor Trustee.

	3.   The Company hereby represents and warrants that to the best 
knowledge of the Company there has been no notice of a completed default and 
no event which, after notice or lapse of time or both, would become a completed 
default under the terms of the Indenture, as of the Effective Date.

	4.   The Company agrees to give, or cause to be given, prompt notice of 
the appointment of the Successor Trustee to the bondholders in accordance with 
Section 17.07 of the Indenture.

                     			   THE SUCCESSOR TRUSTEE

	1.   Effective as of the Effective Date, the Successor Trustee hereby 
accepts its appointment as successor Trustee under the Indenture and shall be 
vested with all the estates, authority, rights, trusts, powers, duties and 
obligations of the Trustee under the Indenture.

	2.   The Successor Trustee hereby represents that it is qualified and 
eligible under the provisions of Section 17.06 of the Indenture to be appoited 
successor Trustee and hereby accepts the appointment as Successor Trustee and 
agrees that upon the signing of this Instrument it shall become vested with all 
of the estates, authority, rights, trusts, powers, duties and obligations of the
Resigning Trustee as Trustee with respect to all series of Bonds with like 
effect as if originally named as Trustee under the Indenture.

	3.   The Successor Trustee shall perform such functions as paying agent, 
registrar and transfer agent pursuant to the terms of the Indenture at its 
Corporate Trust Office in Chicago, Illinois, where notices and demands to or
upon the Company in respect of the Bonds or the Indenture may be served, or the 
Bonds may be presented or surrendered for payment and where the Bonds may be 
surrendered for exchange or registration of transfer.



                            				      3

                            				 MISCELLANEOUS

	1.   (a)  Notwithstanding the resignation of the Resigning Trustee as 
trustee under the Indenture, the Company shall remain obligated under the 
Indenture to compensate, reimburse and indemnify the Resigning Trustee in 
connection with its trusteeship under the Indenture prior to the date hereof 
pursuant to the terms of the Indenture.

	     (b)  The Resigning Trustee agrees to indemnify and save the 
Successor Trustee harmless against any and all costs, claims, liabilities, 
expenses, losses or damages whatsoever (including all reasonable fees, expenses 
and disbursements of counsel, auditors or other agents or expert(s), which the 
Successor Trustee may suffer or incur at any time or times as a result of the 
Successor Trustee's accepting the appointment and acting as successor trustee 
under the Indenture which may arise out of the Resigning Trustee's willful 
misconduct, bad faith or negligence during the term of its trusteeship, as 
determined on the basis of the provisions contained in the Indenture.

	     (c)  The Successor Trustee agrees to indemnify and save the 
Resigning Trustee harmless from and against any and all costs, claims, 
liabilities, expenses, losses or damages whatsoever (including all reasonable 
fees, expenses and disbursements and the reasonable fees, expenses and disburse-
ments of counsel and agents), incurred by the Resigning Trustee which may arise 
out of the Successor Trustee's willful misconduct, bad faith or negligence 
during the term of its trusteeship as determined on the basis of the provisions 
contained in the Indenture.

	2.   The parties hereto agree that as of the Effective Date, all 
references to the Resigning Trustee as Trustee in the Indenture shall be deemed
to refer to the Successor Trustee.  After the Effective Date, all notices or 
payments which were required by the terms of the Indenture to be given or paid 
to the Resigning Trustee, as Trustee, shall be given or paid to:

                  			 HARRIS TRUST AND SAVINGS BANK
			                     311 West Monroe Street
		                 Attention:  Indenture Trust Division
			                    Chicago, Illinois  60606

	3.   The resignation, appointment and acceptance effected hereby shall 
become effective as of the opening of business on the Effective Date.

	4.   This Instrument shall be governed by and construed in accordance 
with the laws governing the Indenture.



                         				       4

	5.   This Instrument may be executed in any number of counterparts, each 
of which shall be an original, but which counterparts shall together constitute 
but one and the same instrument.

	6.   Nothing contained in this Instrument shall in any way affect the 
obligations or rights of the Company, the Resigning Trustee or any holder of the
Bonds under the Indenture.  This Instrument shall be binding upon and inure to 
the benefit of the Company, the Resigning Trustee, the Successor Trustee and 
their respective successors and assigns.

	7.   The parties hereby agree that from and after the Effective Date, 
all fees payable by the Company to the Trustee under the Indenture shall hence-
forth be invoiced by and paid to the Successor Trustee at such address and 
account as shall hereafter be provided by the Successor Trustee to the Company.

	8.   Each of the parties hereto hereby represents and warrants for 
itself that as of the date hereof and as of the Effective Date:

	     a)   it has the power and authority to execute and deliver this
		  Instrument and to perform its obligations hereunder, and all
		  such action has been duly and validly authorized by all
		  necessary proceedings on its part; and

	     b)   this Instrument has been duly authorized, executed and 
		  delivered by it, and constitutes a legal, valid and binding 
		  agreement enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, 
		  except as the enforceability of this Instrument may be limited
		  by bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar laws of general
		  application affecting the enforcement of creditor's rights or 
		  by general principles of equity limiting the availability of 
		  equitable remedies.

	IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Instrument to be 
duly executed and attested by their duly authorized officers, all as of the date
and year first above written.

                                  						  NORTHERN ILLINOIS GAS COMPANY,
                                  						  as Company

                                  						  By:  ________________________

                                  						  Title:  _____________________

Attest:

_______________________



                          				       5

                                  						  BANK OF AMERICA ILLINOIS, as
                                  						  Resigning Trustee

                                  						  By:  _______________________

                                  						  Title:  ____________________

Attest:

_______________________

                                  						  HARRIS TRUST AND SAVINGS BANK,
                                  						  as Successor Trustee

                                  						  By:  _________________________

                                  						  Title:  ______________________

Attest:

_______________________

NORTHERN.CAP



                            			       6




                                                  NORTHERN ILLINOIS GAS COMPANY
                                                  FORM 10-Q
                                                  EXHIBIT 4.02 

                       			   Supplemental Indenture 


		     

 
	                         		    DATED AUGUST 1, 1996 


		     


                        			 NORTHERN ILLINOIS GAS COMPANY 
 
	                               			    TO 

                        			 HARRIS TRUST AND SAVINGS BANK 


               		      TRUSTEE UNDER INDENTURE DATED AS OF 
                      			JANUARY 1, 1954 AND SUPPLEMENTAL 
                     			       INDENTURES THERETO 


		     


                        			    FIRST MORTGAGE BONDS 
                  		      6.45% SERIES DUE AUGUST 1, 2001 


This instrument was prepared by Donald W. Lohrentz, 1844 Ferry Road, 
Naperville, Illinois 60563-9600. 

Return to: Northern Illinois Gas Company 
	Attn: Joe R. Johnson 
	P.O. Box 190, Aurora, IL 60507-0190 
	


This Supplemental Indenture, dated the first day of August, 1996, 
between Northern Illinois Gas Company, a corporation organized and 
existing under the laws of the State of Illinois (hereinafter called 
the ''Company''), and Harris Trust and Savings Bank, an Illinois 
banking corporation (hereinafter called the ''Trustee''), as Trustee 
under an Indenture dated as of January 1, 1954, as supplemented by 
Supplemental Indentures dated, respectively, February 9, 1954, April 
1, 1956, June 1, 1959, July 1, 1960, June 1, 1963, July 1, 1963, 
August 1, 1964, August 1, 1965, May 1, 1966, August 1, 1966, July 1, 
1967, June 1, 1968, December 1, 1969, August 1, 1970, June 1, 1971, 
July 1, 1972, July 1, 1973, April 1, 1975, April 30, 1976, April 30, 
1976, July 1, 1976, August 1, 1976, December 1, 1977, January 15, 
1979, December 1, 1981, March 1, 1983, October 1, 1984, December 1, 
1986, March 15, 1988, July 1, 1988, July 1, 1989, July 15, 1990, 
August 15, 1991, July 15, 1992, February 1, 1993, March 15, 1993, May 
1, 1993, July 1, 1993, August 15, 1994, October 15, 1995 and May 10, 
1996, such Indenture dated as of January 1, 1954, as so supplemented, 
being hereinafter called the ''Indenture.'' 

Witnesseth: 

	Whereas, the Indenture provides for the issuance from time to time 
thereunder, in series, of bonds of the Company for the purposes and 
subject to the limitations therein specified; and 

	Whereas, the Company desires, by this Supplemental Indenture, to 
create an additional series of bonds to be issuable under the 
Indenture, such bonds to be designated ''First Mortgage Bonds, 6.45% 
Series due August 1, 2001'' (hereinafter called the ''bonds of this 
Series''), and the terms and provisions to be contained in the bonds of 
this Series or to be otherwise applicable thereto to be as set forth in 
this Supplemental Indenture; and 

	Whereas, the forms, respectively, of the bonds of this Series, and 
Trustee's certificate to be endorsed on all bonds of this Series, are 
to be substantially as follows: 

			     (form of face of bond) 

No. RU                                                            $       

              			  NORTHERN ILLINOIS GAS COMPANY 

	      First Mortgage Bond, 6.45% Series due August 1, 2001 



                         				       2

	Northern Illinois Gas Company, an Illinois corporation (hereinafter 
called the ''Company''), for value received, hereby promises to pay to       
or registered assigns, the sum of             Dollars, on the first day 
of August, 2001, and to pay to the registered owner hereof interest on 
said sum from the date hereof until said sum shall be paid, at the rate 
of six and forty-five hundredths per centum (6.45%) per annum, payable 
semiannually on the first day of February and the first day of August 
in each year. Both the principal of and the interest on this bond shall 
be payable at the office or agency of the Company in the City of 
Chicago, State of Illinois, or, at the option of the registered owner, 
at the office or agency of the Company in the Borough of Manhattan, The 
City and State of New York, in any coin or currency of the United 
States of America which at the time of payment is legal tender for the 
payment of public and private debts. Any installment of interest on the 
bonds may, at the Company's option, be paid by mailing checks for such 
interest payable to or upon the written order of the person entitled 
thereto to the address of such person as it appears on the registration 
books. 

	So long as there is no existing default in the payment of interest on 
this bond, the interest so payable on any interest payment date will be 
paid to the person in whose name this bond is registered on the January 
<PAGE>
15 or the July 15 (whether or not a business day), as the case may be, 
next preceding such interest payment date. If and to the extent that 
the Company shall default in the payment of interest due on such 
interest payment date, such defaulted interest shall be paid to the 
person in whose name this bond is registered on the record date fixed, 
in advance, by the Company for the payment of such defaulted interest. 

	Additional provisions of this bond are set forth on the reverse 
hereof. 

	This bond shall not be entitled to any security or benefit under the 
Indenture or be valid or become obligatory for any purpose unless and 
until it shall have been authenticated by the execution by the Trustee, 
or its successor in trust under the Indenture, of the certificate 
endorsed hereon. 

	In witness whereof, Northern Illinois Gas Company has caused this bond 
to be executed in its name by its Chairman, President, or a Vice 
President, manually or by facsimile signature, and has caused its 
corporate seal to be impressed hereon or a facsimile thereof to be 
imprinted hereon and to be 


 
	                          			       3
					
attested by its Secretary or its Assistant Secretary, manually or by facsimile 
signature. 

Dated   

                                         					   Northern Illinois Gas Company 

                                         					   By   
                                               						     President 

Attest: 

						      
	   Secretary 

        	    (form of trustee's certificate of authentication) 

	This bond is one of the bonds of the series designated therein, 
referred to and described in the within-mentioned Supplemental 
Indenture dated August 1, 1996. 

Harris Trust and Savings Bank,
 Trustee 

By   
      Authorized Officer 

                 (form of reverse side of bond) 

	This bond is one, of the series hereinafter specified, of the bonds 
issued and to be issued in series from time to time under and in 
accordance with and secured by an Indenture dated as of January 1, 
1954, to Harris Trust and Savings Bank, as Trustee, as supplemented by 
certain indentures supplemental thereto, executed and delivered to the 
Trustee; and this bond is one of a series of such bonds, designated 
''Northern Illinois Gas Company First Mortgage Bonds, 6.45% Series due 
August 1, 2001'' (herein called ''bonds of this Series''), the issuance 
of which is provided for by a Supplemental Indenture dated August 1, 
1996 (hereinafter called the ''Supplemental Indenture''), executed and 
delivered by the Company to the Trustee. The term ''Indenture'', as 
hereinafter used, means said Indenture dated as of January 1, 1954, and 
all indentures supplemental thereto from time to time in effect. 
Reference is made to the Indenture for a description of the property 
mortgaged and pledged, the nature and extent of the security, the 
rights of the holders and registered 



                          				       4

owners of said bonds, of the Company and of the Trustee in respect of the 
security, and the terms and conditions governing the issuance and security of 
said bonds.  
	
	With the consent of the Company and to the extent permitted by and 
as provided in the Indenture, modifications or alterations of the 
Indenture or of any supplemental indenture and of the rights and 
obligations of the Company and of the holders and registered owners of 
the bonds may be made, and compliance with any provision of the 
Indenture or of any supplemental indenture may be waived, by the 
affirmative vote of the holders and registered owners of not less than 
sixty-six and two-thirds per centum (662/3%) in principal amount of the 
bonds then outstanding under the Indenture, and by the affirmative vote 
of the holders and registered owners of not less than sixty-six and 
two-thirds per centum (662/3%) in principal amount of the bonds of any 
series then outstanding under the Indenture and affected by such 
modification or alteration, in case one or more but less than all of 
the series of bonds then outstanding under the Indenture are so 
affected, but in any case excluding bonds disqualified from voting by 
reason of the Company's interest therein as provided in the Indenture; 
subject, however, to the condition, among other conditions stated in 
the Indenture, that no such modification or alteration shall be made 
which, among other things, will permit the extension of the time or 
times of payment of the principal of or the interest on this bond, or 
the reduction in the principal amount hereof or in the rate of interest 
or any other modification in the terms of payment of such principal or 
interest, which terms of payment are unconditional, or, otherwise than 
as permitted by the Indenture, the creation of any lien ranking prior 
to or on a parity with the lien of the Indenture with respect to any of 
the mortgaged property, all as more fully provided in the Indenture. 

	The bonds of this Series may not be called for redemption by the 
Company prior to August 1, 2000. On August 1, 2000 and thereafter until 
maturity on August 1, 2001, upon the notice hereinafter stated and in 
the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture, the bonds of 
this Series are redeemable at the option of the Company, as a whole at 
any time or in part from time to time, at 100% of the principal amount 
thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date. 

	Notice of each redemption shall be mailed to all registered owners not 
less than thirty nor more than forty-five days before the redemption date. 



                          				       5
	
	In case of certain completed defaults specified in the Indenture, the 
principal of this bond may be declared or may become due and payable in 
the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture. 

	No recourse shall be had for the payment of the principal of or the 
interest on this bond, or for any claim based hereon, or otherwise in 
respect hereof or of the Indenture, to or against any incorporator, 
stockholder, officer or director, past, present or future, of the 
Company or of any predecessor or successor corporation, either directly 
or through the Company or such predecessor or successor corporation, 
under any constitution or statute or rule of law, or by the enforcement 
of any assessment or penalty, or otherwise, all such liability of 
incorporators, stockholders, directors and officers being waived and 
released by the registered owner hereof by the acceptance of this bond 
and being likewise waived and released by the terms of the Indenture, 
all as more fully provided therein. 

	This bond is transferable by the registered owner hereof, in person 
or by duly authorized attorney, at the office or agency of the Company 
in the City of Chicago, State of Illinois, or, at the option of the 
registered owner, at the office or agency of the Company in the Borough 
of Manhattan, The City and State of New York, upon surrender and 
cancellation of this bond; and thereupon a new registered bond or bonds 
without coupons of the same aggregate principal amount and series will, 
upon the payment of any transfer tax or taxes payable, be issued to the 
transferee in exchange herefor. The Company shall not be required to 
exchange or transfer this bond if this bond or a portion hereof has 
been selected for redemption. 

                   				(end of bond form) 

and 

	Whereas, all acts and things necessary to make this Supplemental 
Indenture, when duly executed and delivered, a valid, binding and legal 
instrument in accordance with its terms and for the purposes herein 
expressed, have been done and performed, and the execution and delivery 
of this Supplemental Indenture have in all respects been duly 
authorized; 



                           			       6

	Now, Therefore, in consideration of the premises and of the sum of one 
dollar paid by the Trustee to the Company, and for other good and 
valuable considerations, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, 
for the purpose of securing the due and punctual payment of the 
principal of and the interest and premium, if any, on all bonds which 
shall be issued under the Indenture, and for the purpose of securing 
the faithful performance and observance of all the covenants and 
conditions set forth in the Indenture and in all indentures 
supplemental thereto, the Company by these presents does grant, 
bargain, sell, transfer, assign, pledge, mortgage, warrant and convey 
unto Harris Trust and Savings Bank, as Trustee, and its successor or 
successors in the trust hereby created, all property, real and personal 
(other than property expressly excepted from the lien and operation of 
the Indenture), which, at the actual date of execution and delivery of 
this Supplemental Indenture, is solely used or held for use in the 
operation by the Company of its gas utility system and in the conduct 
of its gas utility business and all property, real and personal, used 
or useful in the gas utility business (other than property expressly 
excepted from the lien and operation of the Indenture) acquired by the 
Company after the actual date of execution and delivery of this 
Supplemental Indenture or (subject to the provisions of Section 16.03 
of the Indenture) by any successor corporation after such execution and 
delivery, and it is further agreed by and between the Company and the 
Trustee as follows: 


                       				   ARTICLE I 

                			      Bonds of this Series 

	Section 1. The bonds of this Series shall, as hereinbefore recited, be 
designated as the Company's ''First Mortgage Bonds, 6.45% Series due 
August 1, 2001.'' The bonds of this Series which may be issued and 
outstanding shall not exceed $75,000,000 in aggregate principal amount, 
exclusive of bonds of such series authenticated and delivered pursuant 
to the provisions of Section 4.12 of the Indenture. 

	Section 2. The bonds of this Series shall be registered bonds without 
coupons, and the form of such bonds, and of the Trustee's certificate 
of authentication to be endorsed on all bonds of this Series, shall be 
substantially as hereinbefore recited, respectively. 

	Section 3. The bonds of this Series shall be issued in the 
denomination of $1,000 each and in such multiple or multiples thereof 
as shall be determined 



                            				       7

and authorized by the Board of Directors of the Company or by any officer or 
officers of the Company authorized by the Board of Directors to make such 
determination, the authorization of the denomination of any bond to be 
conclusively evidenced by the execution thereof on behalf of the Company. The 
bonds of this Series shall be numbered, RU-1 and consecutively upwards, or in 
such other appropriate manner as shall be determined and authorized by the Board
of Directors of the Company. 

	All bonds of this Series shall be dated August 1, 1996, except that 
each bond issued on or after the first payment of interest thereon 
shall be dated as of the date of the interest payment date thereof to 
which interest shall have been paid on the bonds of such series next 
preceding the date of issue, unless issued on an interest payment date 
to which interest shall have been so paid, in which event such bonds 
shall be dated as of the date of issue; provided, however, that bonds 
issued on or after January 15 and before the next succeeding February 1 
or on or after July 15 and before the next succeeding August 1 shall be 
dated the next succeeding interest payment date if interest shall have 
been paid to such date. All bonds of this Series shall mature August 1, 
2001, and shall bear interest at the rate of 6.45% per annum until the 
principal thereof shall be paid. Such interest shall be calculated on 
the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months and 
shall be payable semiannually on the first day of February and the 
first day of August in each year. So long as there is no existing 
default in the payment of interest on the bonds of this Series, such 
interest shall be payable to the person in whose name each such bond is 
registered on the January 15 and July 15 (whether or not a business 
day), as the case may be, next preceding the respective interest 
payment dates; provided, however, if and to the extent that the Company 
shall default in the payment of interest due on such interest payment 
date, such defaulted interest shall be paid to the person in whose name 
each such bond is registered on the record date fixed, in advance, by 
the Company for the payment of such defaulted interest. 

	The principal of and interest on the bonds of this Series shall be 
payable in any coin or currency of the United States of America which 
at the time of payment is legal tender for the payment of public and 
private debts, and shall be payable at the office or agency of the 
Company in the City of Chicago, State of Illinois, or, at the option of 
the registered owner, at the office or agency of the Company in the 
Borough of Manhattan, The City and State of New York. Any installment 
of interest on the bonds may, at the Company's option, be 



                       				       8

paid by mailing checks for such interest payable to or upon the written order 
of the person entitled thereto to the address of such person as it 
appears on the registration books. The bonds of this Series shall be 
registrable, transferable and exchangeable in the manner provided in 
Sections 4.08 and 4.09 of the Indenture, at either of such offices or 
agencies. 

	Section 4. The bonds of this Series may not be called for redemption 
by the Company prior to August 1, 2000. On August 1, 2000 and 
thereafter until maturity on August 1, 2001, the bonds of this Series, 
upon the mailing of notice and in the manner provided in Section 7.01 
of the Indenture (except that no published notice shall be required for 
the bonds of this Series), and with the effect provided in Section 7.02 
thereof, shall be redeemable at the option of the Company, as a whole 
at any time or in part from time to time, at 100% of the principal 
amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest to redemption date. 

	Section 5. No sinking fund is to be provided for the bonds of this 
Series. 


                         				ARTICLE II 

                    			Miscellaneous Provisions 

	Section 1. This Supplemental Indenture is executed by the Company and 
the Trustee pursuant to provisions of Section 4.02 of the Indenture and 
the terms and conditions hereof shall be deemed to be a part of the 
terms and conditions of the Indenture for any and all purposes. The 
Indenture, as heretofore supplemented and as supplemented by this 
Supplemental Indenture, is in all respects ratified and confirmed. 

	Section 2. This Supplemental Indenture shall bind and, subject to the 
provisions of Article XVI of the Indenture, inure to the benefit of the 
respective successors and assigns of the parties hereto. 

	Section 3. Although this Supplemental Indenture is dated August 1, 
1996, it shall be effective only from and after the actual time of its 
execution and delivery by the Company and the Trustee on the date 
indicated by their respective acknowledgments hereto annexed. 

	Section 4. This Supplemental Indenture may be simultaneously executed 
in any number of counterparts, and all such counterparts executed and 
delivered, each as an original, shall constitute but one and the same 
instrument. 



                       				       9
	
	In Witness Whereof, Northern Illinois Gas Company has caused this 
Supplemental Indenture to be executed in its name by its President, a 
Vice President, or Treasurer, and its corporate seal to be hereunto 
affixed and attested by its Secretary or its Assistant Secretary, and 
Harris Trust and Savings Bank, as Trustee under the Indenture, has 
caused this Supplemental Indenture to be executed in its name by one of 
its Vice Presidents, and its seal to be hereunto affixed and attested 
by its Assistant Secretary, all as of the day and year first above 
written. 

Northern Illinois Gas Company 

By   
	  Vice President and Treasurer 

                                    					  Attest: 


                                           						   Assistant Secretary 

Harris Trust and Savings Bank, 
	as Trustee 

By   
	   Vice President 

                                      			  Attest: 


                                          						   Assistant Secretary 


 
	                        			       10

State of Illinois } 
                  } ss:   
County of DuPage  }

	I, Beth A. Aussem, Notary Public in the State aforesaid, Do Hereby 
Certify that Donald W. Lohrentz, Vice President and Treasurer of 
Northern Illinois Gas Company, an Illinois corporation, one of the 
parties described in and which executed the foregoing instrument, and 
Alexander C. Allison, Assistant Secretary of said corporation, who are 
both personally known to me to be the same persons whose names are 
subscribed to the foregoing instrument as such Vice President and 
Assistant Secretary, respectively, and who are both personally known to 
me to be the Vice President and the Assistant Secretary, respectively, 
of said corporation, appeared before me this day in person and 
severally acknowledged that they signed, sealed, executed and delivered 
said instrument as their free and voluntary act as such Vice President 
and Assistant Secretary, respectively, of said corporation, and as the 
free and voluntary act of said corporation, for the uses and purposes 
therein set forth. 

	Given under my hand and notarial seal this      day of August A.D. 
1996. 



                                        							Notary Public 

My Commission expires March 23, 1999. 



                          				       11

State of Illinois }
              		  } ss:
County of Cook    }

	I, Kimberley Lange, a Notary Public in and for said County, in the 
State aforesaid, Do Hereby Certify that J. Bartolini, Vice President of 
Harris Trust and Savings Bank, an Illinois banking corporation, one of 
the parties described in and which executed the foregoing instrument, 
and D. G. Donovan, Assistant Secretary of said banking corporation, who 
are both personally known to me to be the same persons whose names are 
subscribed to the foregoing instrument as such Vice President and 
Assistant Secretary, respectively, and who are both personally known to 
me to be a Vice President and an Assistant Secretary, respectively, of 
said banking corporation, appeared before me this day in person and 
severally acknowledged that they signed, sealed, executed and delivered 
said instrument as their free and voluntary act as such Vice President 
and Assistant Secretary, respectively, of said banking corporation, and 
as the free and voluntary act of said banking corporation, for the uses 
and purposes therein set forth. 

	Given under my hand and notarial seal this    day of August A.D. 1996. 




                                            							 Notary Public 

My Commission expires December 14, 1997. 



                           				       12

                            				 RECORDING DATA 

	This Supplemental Indenture was recorded on August 8 or 9, 1996, in 
the office of the Recorder of Deeds in certain counties in the State of 
Illinois, as follows: 

	     County         Book               Page           Document No.    
	   Adams   
	   Boone   
	   Bureau  
	   Carroll 
	   Champaign       
	   Cook    
	   DeKalb  
	   DeWitt  
	   DuPage  
	   Ford    
	   Grundy  
	   Hancock 
	   Henderson       
	   Henry   
	   Iroquois        
	   Jo Daviess      
	   Kane    
	   Kankakee        
	   Kendall 
	   Lake    
	   La Salle        
	   Lee     
	   Livingston      
	   McHenry 
	   McLean  
	   Mercer  
	   Ogle    
	   Piatt   
	   Pike    
	   Rock Island     
	   Stephenson      
	   Tazewell        
	   Vermilion       
	   Whiteside       
	   Will    
	   Winnebago       
	   Woodford 




                                                 Northern Illinois Gas Company
                                                 Form 10-Q
                                                 Exhibit 12.01

<TABLE>
                                      NORTHERN ILLINOIS GAS COMPANY
                     COMPUTATION OF CONSOLIDATED RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
                                               (Thousands)

<CAPTION>
                                           Twelve
                                        Months Ended
                                           June 30                    Year Ended December 31                 
                                            1996        1995      1994      1993       1992      1991   

Earnings available to cover fixed charges:

 <S>                                    <C>          <C>       <C>       <C>        <C>       <C>
 Net income                             $  97,314    $  85,448 $  93,078 $  94,935  $  91,239 $  91,368

 Add:  Income taxes                        57,619       49,881    50,958    52,890     49,578    47,664

       Fixed charges                       42,040       39,400    37,729    40,960     41,648    40,969

       Allowance for funds used
         during construction                 (719)        (911)     (151)      (64)      (915)     (700)

 Total                                  $ 196,254    $ 173,818 $ 181,614 $ 188,721  $ 181,550 $ 179,301


Fixed charges:

 Interest on debt                       $  38,743    $  38,129 $  36,726 $  38,949  $  39,773 $  36,270

 Other interest charges and
   amortization of debt discount,
   premium and expense, net                 3,297        1,271     1,003     2,011      1,875     4,699

 Total                                  $  42,040    $  39,400 $  37,729 $  40,960  $  41,648 $  40,969


Ratio of earnings to fixed charges           4.67         4.41      4.81      4.61       4.36      4.38

</TABLE>


<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> UT
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF INCOME, THE CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET AND THE
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY
REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1995
<PERIOD-END>                               JUN-30-1996
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                         1646
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                          8
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                             225
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                             0
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                      67
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                    1946
<COMMON>                                            76
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                          108
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                512
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                     696
                                9
                                          1
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                               421
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                   0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                     109
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                       25
                            1
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                          0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                     0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                     684
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                     1946
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                          937
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                38
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                         814
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                         852
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                             85
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                   1
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                      86
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                            22
<NET-INCOME>                                        64
                          1
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                       63
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                            67
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                            0
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                             178
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0<F1>
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0
<FN>
<F1>NORTHERN ILLINOIS GAS IS A WHOLLY OWNED SUBSIDIARY OF NICOR INC.
EARNINGS PER SHARE INFORMATION IS THEREFORE OMITTED.
</FN>
        


</TABLE>


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