<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, 1997 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-31-1997
<PERIOD-END>                   JUN-30-1997
<PERIOD-TYPE>                        6-MOS
<BOOK-VALUE>                      PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>          257,623
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>              0
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>              70,723
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>            26,566
<OTHER-ASSETS>                           0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                     354,912
<COMMON>                            71,425
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>           27,739
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                 18,543
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>     117,707
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                    0
<PREFERRED>                              0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                74,450
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                  24,550
<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>     134,555
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>      354,912
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>          193,375
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                 8,113
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>         166,759
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>         174,872
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>             18,503
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                      87
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>      18,590
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>             5,189
<NET-INCOME>                        13,401
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>              0
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>       13,401
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>             5,714
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>            3,312
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>              57,667
<EPS-PRIMARY>                            0
<EPS-DILUTED>                            0