<ARTICLE>                                                UT
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL  INFORMATION  EXTRACTED FROM BGE'S JUNE
30, 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>                                            6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                        DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                                           JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                                             JUN-30-1997
<BOOK-VALUE>                                             PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                                        5,599,970
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                      1,449,078
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                           1,045,244
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                           572,989
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                                           0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                                   8,667,281
<COMMON>                                                         1,431,748
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                                0
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                              1,370,778
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                                   2,809,220
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                              113,000
<PREFERRED>                                                        210,000
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                             3,162,147
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                                       0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                                0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                                     116,900
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                                      221,783
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                          103,000
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                              0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                                         0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                                   1,931,231
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                                    8,667,281
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                        1,634,122
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                                46,866
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                       1,391,407
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                       1,438,273
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                            195,849
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                                   2,016
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                                     197,865
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                           110,784
<NET-INCOME>                                                        87,081
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                         15,758
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                                       71,323
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                           118,133
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                          116,114
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                             363,160
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                                            0.48
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                            0.48