<ARTICLE> UT
<LEGEND>
This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
balance sheet, statement of income and statement of cash flows contained in
Form 10-Q of Commonwealth Energy System for the six months ended June 30, 1995
and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK> 0000071304
<NAME> COMMONWEALTH ENERGY SYSTEM
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
                                
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                  DEC-31-1995
<PERIOD-END>                       JUN-30-1995
<PERIOD-TYPE>                            6-MOS
<BOOK-VALUE>                          PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>            1,003,293
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>             13,544
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                 129,366
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>               161,694
<OTHER-ASSETS>                          15,544
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                       1,323,441
<COMMON>                                42,577
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>              107,492
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                    228,599
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>         378,668
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                   14,410
<PREFERRED>                                  0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                   396,732
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                      23,150
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                    0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>               0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>           40,973
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                  820
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>             13,805
<LEASES-CURRENT>                         1,740
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>         453,143
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>        1,323,441
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>              473,317
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                     8,817
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>             417,936
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>             426,753
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                 46,564
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                       3,087
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>          49,651
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                22,288
<NET-INCOME>                            27,363
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                564
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>           26,799
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                15,926
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>               19,571
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                  75,076
<EPS-PRIMARY>                             2.53
<EPS-DILUTED>                                0