<ARTICLE> UT
<CIK> 0000043350
<NAME> ENERGY WEST, INC
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          JUN-30-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             JUL-01-1996
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1996
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
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<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                      8,261
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                      13,952,639
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<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              43,912,935
<COMMON>                                       353,557
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<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                          8,344,674
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>              11,628,124
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0
<PREFERRED>                                          0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                         9,685,474
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                          10,652,000
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
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<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                  358,478
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<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>              11,588,859
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>               43,912,935
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                   18,253,451
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                           129,952
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                  17,401,655
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                  17,531,607
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        721,844
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                             308,014
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>               1,029,858
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                       750,005
<NET-INCOME>                                   279,853
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                          0
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                8,344,674
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                       491,689
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                      345,409
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                       2,236,103
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     0.12
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0