<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, 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>                   DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-TYPE>                         YEAR
<BOOK-VALUE>                      PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>          264,992
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>              0
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>             104,887
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>            26,087
<OTHER-ASSETS>                           0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                     395,966
<COMMON>                            71,425
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>           27,739
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                 16,871
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>     116,035
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                    0
<PREFERRED>                              0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>               105,800
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                  39,325
<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>     131,156
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>      395,966
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>          331,135
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                 9,653
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>         296,217
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>         305,870
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>             25,265
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                     679
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>      25,944
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>            10,501
<NET-INCOME>                        15,443
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>              0
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>       15,443
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>             9,428
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>            7,251
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>              27,191
<EPS-PRIMARY>                            0
<EPS-DILUTED>                            0