<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-K of Commonwealth Energy System for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1996 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-31-1996 <PERIOD-END> DEC-31-1996 <PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 1,045,627 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 13,395 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 196,491 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 173,442 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 1,428,955 <COMMON> 43,059 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 111,685 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 260,950 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 415,694 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 13,020 <PREFERRED> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 355,305 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 0 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 118,475 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 21,913 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 820 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 12,346 <LEASES-CURRENT> 1,531 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 489,851 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 1,428,955 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 1,010,905 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 36,099 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 878,141 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 914,240 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 96,665 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 4,878 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 101,543 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 42,368 <NET-INCOME> 59,175 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 1,050 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 58,125 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 33,155 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 35,586 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 63,325 <EPS-PRIMARY> 2.70 <EPS-DILUTED> 0