<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 Electric Company for the six months ended June 30, 1996 and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such financial statements. </LEGEND> <CIK> 0000071222 <NAME> COMMONWEALTH ELECTRIC COMPANY <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1996 <PERIOD-END> JUN-30-1996 <PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 371,423 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 635 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 62,722 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 77,028 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 511,808 <COMMON> 51,099 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 97,112 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 20,000 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 168,211 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 153,228 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 36,540 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 3,553 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 0 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LEASES-CURRENT> 0 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 150,276 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 511,808 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 222,854 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 5,906 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 199,066 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 204,972 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 17,882 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> (261) <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 17,621 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 8,007 <NET-INCOME> 9,614 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 0 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 9,614 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 10,322 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 6,984 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 4,274 <EPS-PRIMARY> 0 <EPS-DILUTED> 0