<ARTICLE> UT
          <CIK> 0000053456
          <NAME> JERSEY CENTRAL POWER & LIGHT COMPANY
          <MULTIPLIER> 1,000
          <CURRENCY> US DOLLARS
                 
                                        
          <PERIOD-TYPE>                         12-MOS
          <FISCAL-YEAR-END>                DEC-31-1996
          <PERIOD-START>                   JAN-01-1996
          <PERIOD-END>                     DEC-31-1996
          <EXCHANGE-RATE>                            1
          <BOOK-VALUE>                        PER-BOOK
          <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>          2,934,684
          <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>          388,308
          <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>               389,342
          <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>             997,585
          <OTHER-ASSETS>                             0
          <TOTAL-ASSETS>                     4,709,919
          <COMMON>                             153,713
          <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>            510,769
          <RETAINED-EARNINGS>                  825,001
          <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>     1,489,483
          <PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                239,000  <F1>
          <PREFERRED>                           37,741
          <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>               1,173,091
          <SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                    31,800
          <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                  0
          <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>             0
          <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>        100,075
          <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>             10,000
          <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>              933
          <LEASES-CURRENT>                      96,150
          <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>     1,531,646
          <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>      4,709,919
          <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>          2,057,918
          <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                  71,080
          <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>         1,729,532
          <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>         1,800,612
          <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>              257,306
          <OTHER-INCOME-NET>                     5,381
          <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>       262,687
          <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>             106,384  <F2>
          <NET-INCOME>                         156,303
          <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>           13,072
          <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>        143,231
          <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>             135,000  <F3>
          <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>             89,648
          <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>               341,898
          <EPS-PRIMARY>                              0
          <EPS-DILUTED>                              0
          <FN>
          <F1> INCLUDES COMPANY-OBLIGATED MANDATORILY REDEEMABLE PREFERRED
          <F1> SECURITIES OF $125,000.
          <F2> INCLUDES DIVIDENDS ON COMPANY-OBLIGATED MANDATORILY REDEEMABLE
          <F2> PREFERRED SECURITIES OF $10,700.
          <F3> REPRESENTS COMMON STOCK DIVIDENDS PAID TO PARENT CORPORATION.
          </FN>