<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