<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 six months ended June 30,
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>                   JUN-30-1998
<PERIOD-TYPE>                        6-MOS
<BOOK-VALUE>                      PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>          381,360
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>            598
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>              52,545
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>            94,937
<OTHER-ASSETS>                           0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                     529,440
<COMMON>                            51,099
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>           97,112
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                 31,893
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>     180,104
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                    0
<PREFERRED>                              0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>               146,145
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                  42,810
<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>     156,828
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>      529,440
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>          200,058
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                 4,051
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>         181,503
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>         185,554
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>             14,504
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                     165
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>      14,669
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>             7,819
<NET-INCOME>                         6,850
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>              0
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>        6,850
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>             6,950
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>            6,642
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>              (5,144)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                            0
<EPS-DILUTED>                            0