SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                        Washington, D.C.
 
 
 
                           Form U-57
 
 
 
         NOTIFICATION OF FOREIGN UTILITY COMPANY STATUS
 
 
 
 
                Filed under Section 33(a) of the
     Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, as amended
 
 
 
                Name of foreign utility company:
 
 
 
                         Metrogas S.A.
 
 
                                
 Name and address of filing company, if filed on behalf of a foreign utility
 company:
 
 
                      ENSERCH Corporation
                         ENSERCH Center
                       300 South St. Paul
                      Dallas, Texas  75201
 
 
 
       The Commission is requested to mail copies of all 
       communications relating to this Notification to: 
 
                     John F. Stephens, Jr.
                      ENSERCH Corporation
                         ENSERCH Center
                       300 South St. Paul
                      Dallas, Texas  75201
 


 
 
 
     ENSERCH Corporation ("ENSERCH"), a Texas corporation, acting on
 behalf of Metrogas S.A., a Chilean corporation ("Metrogas"), hereby
 notifies the Securities and Exchange Commission that Metrogas is, and
 hereby claims status for Metrogas as, a foreign utility company ("FUCO")
 within the meaning of Section 33 of the Public Utility Holding Company Act
 of 1935, as amended (the "Act").
 
 Item 1.  Name, Business Address, Facilities and Ownership
 
     The name and address of the entity claiming foreign utility status is 
 Metrogas S.A., Edeficio Torre el Bosque, Av. el Bosque Norte 0177 Piso 11,
 Las Condes, Chile.  Metrogas is a corporation formed under the laws of the
 Republic of Chile.  Metrogas intends, either directly or through one or
 more subsidiaries, to purchase and transport natural gas from a city gate
 in Santiago, Chile and to distribute natural gas to industrial, residential
 and commercial customers in the greater Santiago area.
 
     All of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of Metrogas
 currently are owned by Gasco S.A., a Chilean corporation ("Gasco").  The
 assets of Metrogas consist principally of "cracking units" suitable for the
 manufacture of low-Btu gas ("city gas") and city gas distribution
 facilities, including a 1200 kilometer pipe network, formerly owned and
 operated by Gasco.  Through these facilities, Metrogas distributes 121
 million cubic meters of city gas to approximately 101,000 customers in the
 greater Santiago area.  It is anticipated that following the Investment
 Date (as defined below), Metrogas will renovate and convert the Santiago
 city gas system into a system suitable for the distribution of natural gas. 
 Metrogas projects that this natural gas distribution system will serve over
 250,000 customers in the metropolitan Santiago area by the year 2000.  It
 is projected that natural gas will become available in Santiago by May of
 1997 via a newly constructed pipeline from Argentina.  
 
     On or about April 15, 1996 (the "Investment Date"), Lone Star Gas de
 Chile S.A., a Chilean corporation ("LSG Chile") intends to purchase, in a
 privately negotiated transaction, a 10% equity interest in Metrogas.  All
 of the outstanding voting shares of LSG Chile are owned by Lone Star
 International, Inc., a Texas corporation ("LSG International"), which in
 turn is a wholly-owned subsidiary of ENSERCH.  Several other entities that
 are unaffiliated with LSG Chile, LSG International and ENSERCH also will
 hold interests in Metrogas.  As of the Investment Date, the names and
 equity ownership interests of the other Metrogas investors shall be as
 follows:  Gasco -- 40.0%; Copec S.A., a Chilean corporation -- 22.5%;
 Chilgener S.A., a Chilean corporation -- 10.0%; Novacorp International,
 Inc., a Canadian corporation -- 10%; and Enagas S.A., a Chilean corporation
 -- 7.5%.  Voting interests are roughly proportional to the equity
 interests.   
 
 Item 2.  Domestic Public Utility Company
 
     ENSERCH, through its Lone Star Gas Company division, is a gas utility
 operating in the State of Texas.  ENSERCH owns 100% of the stock of LSG
 International, which in turn owns 100% of the stock of LSG Chile.  LSG
 Chile will contribute approximately $23 million to purchase its 10%
 interest in Metrogas.  Lone Star Gas Company will provide Metrogas with
 technical assistance and training from time to time pursuant to a separate
 service contract.
 
 Exhibit A     State Certifications Required under Section 33(a)(2) of the
                Act.
 
          Certification by the Texas Railroad Commission, dated April 3,
  1996.



 
                           SIGNATURES
 
     The undersigned company has duly caused this statement to be signed
 on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
 
 
                                 
                                   ENSERCH CORPORATION
 
 
 
 Date: April 11, 1996              By:  /s/ A. E. Gallatin
                                   ----------------------------
                                   A. E. Gallatin
                                   Vice President and Treasurer
                                   
 
 




                                                       EXHIBIT A
 
                  [Seal of the State of Texas]
 
                  RAILROAD COMMISSION OF TEXAS
 
 
 Carole Keeton Rylander, Chairman
 Barry Williamson, Commissioner
 Charles R. Matthews, Commissioner
 
 
 April 3, 1996
 
 
 Secretary
 Securities & Exchange Commission
 Room 6184, Mail Drop 6-9
 450 Fifth Street
 Washington, D.C. 20549
 
 
           Certification Pursuant to Section 33(a)(2)
       of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935
 
 
 The Railroad Commission of Texas (the "Commission") hereby certifies that:
 (1) the Commission has been notified that a subsidiary of ENSERCH
 Corporation intends to enter into a transaction whereby it will provide
 technical assistance to and acquire an equity interest in certain gas
 distribution and transmission facilities in Chile; (2) the Commission has
 made such inquiry into and received such information concerning this
 transaction as it deems necessary or appropriate to carry out its
 regulatory responsibilities; (3) the Commission has the authority and
 resources to protect rate payers subject to its jurisdiction, including
 rate payers who are customers of ENSERCH Corporation; and (4) the
 Commission intends to exercise the above-stated authority.
 
 
 
 /s/ Ron Kitchens
 -----------------------------------
 Ron Kitchens, Gas Services Director
 on the behalf of the 
 Railroad Commission of Texas
 
 
 cc: Office of Public Utility Regulation
     Securities & Exchange Commission
     Room 10236, Mail Drop 10-6
     450 Fifth Street
     Washington, D.C. 20549
 
 
 
 
 1701 North Congress Avenue*Post Office Box 12967*Austin, Texas 78711-2967
             Phone: 512/463-7158 Fax: 512/463-7161
              TDD 800-735-2989 or TDY 512-463-7284
                 An Equal Opportunity Employer