<ARTICLE>          UT
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL  INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM BGE'S MARCH
31, 1997 INTERIM  CONSOLIDATED INCOME STATEMENT,  BALANCE SHEET AND STATEMENT OF
CASH FLOWS AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER>                                             1,000
       
                                                      
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                            3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                        DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                                           JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                                             MAR-31-1997
<BOOK-VALUE>                                             PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                                        5,579,482
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                      1,484,593
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                             819,274
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                           586,580
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                                           0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                                   8,469,929
<COMMON>                                                         1,429,894
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                                0
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                              1,424,224
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                                   2,860,271
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                              134,500
<PREFERRED>                                                        210,000
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                             2,862,277
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                                       0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                                0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                                     145,685
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                                      189,954
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                           83,000
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                              0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                                         0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                                   1,984,242
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                                    8,469,929
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                          887,686
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                                39,418
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                         723,770
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                         763,188
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                            124,498
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                                     963
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                                     125,461
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                            53,350
<NET-INCOME>                                                        72,111
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                          7,884
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                                       64,227
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                            59,067
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                           56,288
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                             289,959
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                                         0.43
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                         0.43