<ARTICLE> UT
          <CIK> 0000065350
          <NAME> METROPOLITAN EDISON COMPANY
          <MULTIPLIER> 1,000
          <CURRENCY> US DOLLARS
                 
                                                
          <PERIOD-TYPE>                          6-MOS
          <FISCAL-YEAR-END>                DEC-31-1996
          <PERIOD-START>                   JAN-01-1996
          <PERIOD-END>                     JUN-30-1996
          <EXCHANGE-RATE>                            1
          <BOOK-VALUE>                        PER-BOOK
          <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>          1,586,984
          <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>          120,161
          <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>               190,394
          <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>             534,337
          <OTHER-ASSETS>                             0
          <TOTAL-ASSETS>                     2,431,876
          <COMMON>                              66,273
          <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>            370,200
          <RETAINED-EARNINGS>                  265,169
          <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>       701,642
          <PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                100,000  <F1>
          <PREFERRED>                           23,598
          <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                 583,270
          <SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                    26,490
          <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                  0
          <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>         8,498
          <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>         20,019
          <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                  0
          <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>              653
          <LEASES-CURRENT>                      36,746
          <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>       930,960
          <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>      2,431,876
          <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>            444,746
          <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                  32,748
          <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>           342,477
          <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>           375,225
          <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>               69,521
          <OTHER-INCOME-NET>                       342
          <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>        69,863
          <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>              29,020  <F2>
          <NET-INCOME>                          40,843
          <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>              472
          <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>         40,371
          <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>              25,000  <F3>
          <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>             46,247
          <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                82,533
          <EPS-PRIMARY>                              0
          <EPS-DILUTED>                              0
          <FN>
          <F1> REPRESENTS COMPANY-OBLIGATED MANDATORILY REDEEMABLE PREFERRED
          <F1> SECURITIES.
          <F2> INCLUDES DIVIDENDS ON COMPANY-OBLIGATED MANDATORILY REDEEMABLE
          <F2> PREFERRED SECURITIES OF $4,500.
          <F3> REPRESENTS COMMON STOCK DIVIDENDS PAID TO PARENT CORPORATION.
          </FN>