content: Securities and Exchange Commission
  
                       Washington, DC  20549
  
                              Form 8-K
  
  
                           Current Report
  
               Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                    Securities Exchange Act 1934
  
  
                  Date of Report December 24, 1996
                 (Date of earliest event reported)
  
  
  
                      CalEnergy Company, Inc.
       (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
  
  
  
    Delaware                   1-9874                  94-2213782
  (State of other          (Commission File          (IRS Employer
  jurisdiction of                Number)              Identification No.)
  incorporation)
  
  
  
  302 South 36th Street, Suite 400,         Omaha, NE           68131
  (Address of principal executive offices)                    Zip Code
  
  
  Registrant's Telephone Number, including area code:
  (402) 341-4500
  
  
                                N/A
   (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
  
  
  Item 5.  Other Events
  
       On December 24, 1996, the Registrant announced that CE
  Electric UK plc, which is indirectly owned 70% by the Registrant
  and 30% by Peter Kiewit Sons' Inc., had acquired a majority of
  the shares of Northern Electric plc ("Northern") and will extend
  its offers for the remaining equity interest in Northern.  A copy
  of the press release issued by the Registrant is set forth as
  Exhibit 1 hereto and is incorporated herein by reference.
  
  
  Item 7.  Financial Statements and Exhibits
  
       Exhibit 1 - Press Release dated December 24, 1996
  
       Financial Statements will be filed at a later date as part
  of an amendment to this form 8-K.
  
                             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 hereunto duly authorized.
  
                                     CalEnergy Company, Inc.
  
  
  
                                     By: \s\ Douglas L. Anderson
                                          Douglas L. Anderson
                                          Assistant Secretary and
                                          Assistant General Counsel
                                          (U.S. and Corporate)
  
  
  
  Dated: December 26, 1996
metadata_documents: [{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "secsgml_size_bytes": 2290}]
metadata_filer: {"company-data": {"conformed-name": "CALENERGY CO INC", "cik": "0000720556", "assigned-sic": "4991", "irs-number": "942213782", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "001-09874", "film-number": "96686414"}, "business-address": {"street1": "302 S 36TH ST", "street2": "STE 400", "city": "OMAHA", "state": "NE", "zip": "68131", "phone": "4023414500"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "302 SOUTH 36TH STREET", "street2": "SUITE 400-A", "city": "OMAHA", "state": "NE", "zip": "68131"}, "former-company": {"former-conformed-name": "CALIFORNIA ENERGY CO INC", "date-changed": "19920703"}}
text: Securities and Exchange Commission
  
                       Washington, DC  20549
  
                              Form 8-K
  
                           Current Report
  
               Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                    Securities Exchange Act 1934
  
                  Date of Report December 24, 1996
                 (Date of earliest event reported)
  
                      CalEnergy Company, Inc.
       (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
  
    Delaware                   1-9874                  94-2213782
  (State of other          (Commission File          (IRS Employer
  jurisdiction of                Number)              Identification No.)
  incorporation)
  
  302 South 36th Street, Suite 400,         Omaha, NE           68131
  (Address of principal executive offices)                    Zip Code
  
  Registrant's Telephone Number, including area code:
  (402) 341-4500
  
                                N/A
   (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
  
  Item 5.  Other Events
  
       On December 24, 1996, the Registrant announced that CE
  Electric UK plc, which is indirectly owned 70% by the Registrant
  and 30% by Peter Kiewit Sons' Inc., had acquired a majority of
  the shares of Northern Electric plc ("Northern") and will extend
  its offers for the remaining equity interest in Northern.  A copy
  of the press release issued by the Registrant is set forth as
  Exhibit 1 hereto and is incorporated herein by reference.
  
  Item 7.  Financial Statements and Exhibits
  
       Exhibit 1 - Press Release dated December 24, 1996
  
       Financial Statements will be filed at a later date as part
  of an amendment to this form 8-K.
  
                             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 hereunto duly authorized.
  
                                     CalEnergy Company, Inc.
  
                                     By: \s\ Douglas L. Anderson
                                          Douglas L. Anderson
                                          Assistant Secretary and
                                          Assistant General Counsel
                                          (U.S. and Corporate)
  
  Dated: December 26, 1996