8-K

                     SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            WASHINGTON, DC 20549




                                  FORM 8-K


                               CURRENT REPORT
                   PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                       SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934




   Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)  February 14, 2000


                                NISOURCE INC.
   ----------------------------------------------------------------------
           (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)



        Indiana             1-9779              35-1719974
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   (State or Other     (Commission File Number) (IRS Employer
   Jurisdiction of                              Identification No.)
   Incorporation)



   801 E. 86th Avenue, Merrillville, Indiana                46410
   ----------------------------------------------------------------------
   (Address of Principal Executive Offices)               (Zip Code)


   Registrant's telephone number, including area code    (219) 853-5200
                                                         ----------------


   ----------------------------------------------------------------------
        (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)





   Item 5.   Other Events.

             On February 14, 2000, the Registrant announced that its
   tender offer for all of the outstanding common stock of Columbia
   Energy Group is not being extended.  A copy of the Registrant's press
   release dated February 14, 2000 is filed as an exhibit to this report
   and incorporated herein by reference.


   Item 7.   Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and
   Exhibits

             (c)  EXHIBITS.  The following exhibit is filed herewith:

             99.1 Press release dated February 14, 2000.





                                  SIGNATURE


             Pursuant to the requirement of the Securities Exchange Act
   of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on
   its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


                                      NISOURCE INC.
                                      (Registrant)


   Dated: February 14, 2000           By: /s/ Nina M. Rausch
                                          -----------------------------
                                          Name:  Nina M. Rausch
                                          Title: Secretary

   

EX-99

                                                            EXHIBIT 99.1
                                                            ------------


              NISOURCE ENTERS FINAL BIDDING PROCESS FOR COLUMBIA

                       NiSource Withdraws Tender Offer

   MERRILLVILLE, Ind., Feb. 14 /PR Newswire/ -- NiSource, Inc. (NYSE:NI)
   today announced that its tender offer for all of the outstanding common
   stock of Columbia Energy Group (NYSE:CG) is not being extended.

   NiSource Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Gary L. Neale
   stated, "We are gratified by the support that Columbia shareholders
   have shown for NiSource over the last eight months."

   "We are now entering the final phase of Columbia's defined bidding
   process.  In order to maintain confidentiality and flexibility in this
   process, it is necessary for us to withdraw the tender offer at this
   time," continued Neale.

   NiSource noted that at the expiration of its tender offer, midnight EST
   on Friday, February 11, 2000, Columbia Energy Group shareholders had
   tendered 47,576,897 shares pursuant to NiSource's tender offer.  This
   represents approximately 58.6% of Columbia's common shares
   outstanding.

   NiSource Inc. is a holding company whose primary business is the
   distribution of electricity, natural gas and water in the Midwest and
   Northeast United States.  The company also markets utility services
   and customer-focused resource solutions along a corridor stretching
   from Texas to Maine.  Further information about the company may be
   found on the Internet at http://www.nisource.com.