<ARTICLE> UT
          <CIK> 0000077227
          <NAME> PENNSYLVANIA ELECTRIC 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>          1,811,337
          <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>           61,465
          <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>               217,900
          <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>             444,363
          <OTHER-ASSETS>                             0
          <TOTAL-ASSETS>                     2,535,065
          <COMMON>                             105,812
          <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>            285,486
          <RETAINED-EARNINGS>                  363,702
          <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>       755,000
          <PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                105,000  <F1>
          <PREFERRED>                           16,681
          <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                 656,459
          <SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                    98,700
          <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                  0
          <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>         8,980
          <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>         26,010
          <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                  0
          <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>            4,129
          <LEASES-CURRENT>                      15,881
          <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>       848,225
          <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>      2,535,065
          <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>          1,019,645
          <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                  45,648
          <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>           840,288
          <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>           885,936
          <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>              133,709
          <OTHER-INCOME-NET>                     (553)
          <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>       133,156
          <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>              63,347  <F2>
          <NET-INCOME>                          69,809
          <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>            1,503
          <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>         73,872  <F3>
          <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>              40,000  <F4>
          <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>             49,654
          <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>               138,657
          <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 $9,188.
          <F3> INCLUDES GAIN ON PREFERRED STOCK REACQUISITIONS OF $5,566.
          <F4> REPRESENTS COMMON STOCK DIVIDENDS PAID TO PARENT CORPORATION.
          </FN>