<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-Q of Commonwealth Electric Company for the three months ended March
31, 1998 and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such financial
statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK> 0000071222
<NAME> COMMONWEALTH ELECTRIC COMPANY
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
                            
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>              DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-END>                   MAR-31-1998
<PERIOD-TYPE>                        3-MOS
<BOOK-VALUE>                      PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>          380,342
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>            598
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>              57,315
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>            82,939
<OTHER-ASSETS>                           0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                     521,194
<COMMON>                            51,099
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>           97,112
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                 38,820
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>     187,031
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                    0
<PREFERRED>                              0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>               146,142
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                  30,095
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>           0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>        3,553
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>              0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                         0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>     154,373
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>      521,194
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>          106,101
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                 4,212
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>          91,342
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>          95,554
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>             10,547
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                      20
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>      10,567
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>             3,740
<NET-INCOME>                         6,827
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>              0
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>        6,827
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                 0
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>            3,321
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>              (3,185)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                            0
<EPS-DILUTED>                            0