<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, 1999 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-31-1999
<PERIOD-END>                   MAR-31-1999
<PERIOD-TYPE>                        3-MOS
<BOOK-VALUE>                      PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>          386,302
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>            522
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>              55,569
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>           116,420
<OTHER-ASSETS>                     316,411
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                     875,224
<COMMON>                            51,099
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>           97,112
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                 39,892
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>     188,103
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                    0
<PREFERRED>                              0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>               142,601
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                  53,045
<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>     487,922
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>      875,224
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>          105,924
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                 3,113
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>          93,924
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>          97,037
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>              8,887
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                     464
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>       9,351
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>             4,399
<NET-INCOME>                         4,952
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>              0
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>        4,952
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>             2,044
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>            3,226
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>              (5,999)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                            0
<EPS-DILUTED>                            0