<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 three months ended March 31, 1999 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-31-1999
<PERIOD-END>                 MAR-31-1999
<PERIOD-TYPE>                      3-MOS
<BOOK-VALUE>                    PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>        269,704
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>            0
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>            99,611
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>          25,611
<OTHER-ASSETS>                         0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                   394,926
<COMMON>                          71,425
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>         27,739
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>               33,383
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>    132,547
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                  0
<PREFERRED>                            0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>             102,150
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                     0
<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>    156,579
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>    394,926
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>        110,320
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>               9,590
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>        82,773
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>        92,363
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>           17,957
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                   276
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>     18,233
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>           2,848
<NET-INCOME>                      15,385
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>            0
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>     15,385
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>               0
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>          2,104
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>            47,463
<EPS-PRIMARY>                          0
<EPS-DILUTED>                          0