<ARTICLE> UT
<LEGEND>
This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
balance sheet, statement of income, statement of retained earnings and
statement of cash flows contained in Form 10-Q of Commonwealth Gas Company for
the six months ended June 30, 1996 and is qualified in its entirety by
reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK> 0000022620
<NAME> COMMONWEALTH GAS 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>          253,177
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>              0
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>              59,377
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>            32,770
<OTHER-ASSETS>                           0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                     345,234
<COMMON>                            71,425
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>           27,739
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                 12,583
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>     111,747
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                    0
<PREFERRED>                              0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                78,100
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                       0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>           0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>       13,650
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>              0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                         0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>     141,827
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>      345,234
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>          192,110
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                 9,722
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>         161,558
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>         171,280
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>             20,830
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                     318
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>      21,148
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>             5,489
<NET-INCOME>                        15,659
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>              0
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>       15,659
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>            13,571
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>            3,929
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>              33,851
<EPS-PRIMARY>                            0
<EPS-DILUTED>                            0