<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-K of Commonwealth Gas Company for
fiscal year ended December 31, 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>                   DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-TYPE>                         YEAR
<BOOK-VALUE>                      PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>          257,341
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>              0
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>             103,000
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>            28,589
<OTHER-ASSETS>                           0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                     388,930
<COMMON>                            71,425
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>           27,739
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                 10,856
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>     110,020
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                    0
<PREFERRED>                              0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                74,450
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                  68,600
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>           0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>        3,650
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>              0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                         0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>     132,210
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>      388,930
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>          342,488
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                10,061
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>         305,725
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>         315,786
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>             26,702
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                     935
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>      27,637
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>            10,848
<NET-INCOME>                        16,789
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>              0
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>       16,789
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>            16,428
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>            7,604
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>             (14,468)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                            0
<EPS-DILUTED>                            0