<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 six months ended June 30, 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>                   JUN-30-1999
<PERIOD-TYPE>                        6-MOS
<BOOK-VALUE>                      PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>          273,375
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>              0
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>              71,525
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>            24,627
<OTHER-ASSETS>                           0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                     369,527
<COMMON>                            71,425
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>           27,739
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                 23,845
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>     123,009
<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>     140,718
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>      369,527
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>          164,218
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                 9,487
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>         134,234
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>         143,721
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>             20,497
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                     693
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>      21,190
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>             5,772
<NET-INCOME>                        15,418
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>              0
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>       15,418
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                 0
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>            4,207
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>              62,239
<EPS-BASIC>                            0
<EPS-DILUTED>                            0