<ARTICLE> UT
          <CIK> 0000065350
          <NAME> METROPOLITAN EDISON 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>          1,584,873
          <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>          142,736
          <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>               183,954
          <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>             561,415
          <OTHER-ASSETS>                             0
          <TOTAL-ASSETS>                     2,472,978
          <COMMON>                              66,273
          <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>            370,200
          <RETAINED-EARNINGS>                  264,044
          <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>       700,517
          <PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                100,000  <F1> 
          <PREFERRED>                           12,056
          <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                 563,252
          <SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                    50,667
          <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                  0
          <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>             0
          <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>         40,020
          <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                  0
          <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>              380
          <LEASES-CURRENT>                      29,964
          <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>       976,122
          <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>      2,472,978
          <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>            910,408
          <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                  49,844
          <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>           733,664
          <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>           783,508
          <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>              126,900
          <OTHER-INCOME-NET>                     1,271
          <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>       128,171
          <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>              59,104  <F2>
          <NET-INCOME>                          69,067
          <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>              944
          <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>         71,845  <F3>
          <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>              60,000  <F4>
          <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>             45,373
          <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>               165,572
          <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 $9,000.
          <F3> INCLUDES GAIN ON PREFERRED STOCK REACQUISITION OF $3,722.
          <F4> REPRESENTS COMMON STOCK DIVIDENDS PAID TO PARENT CORPORATION.
          </FN>