<ARTICLE> UT
          <CIK> 0000077227
          <NAME> PENNSYLVANIA ELECTRIC COMPANY
          <MULTIPLIER> 1,000
          <CURRENCY> US DOLLARS
                 
                                                
          <PERIOD-TYPE>                          3-MOS
          <FISCAL-YEAR-END>                DEC-31-1997
          <PERIOD-START>                   JAN-01-1997
          <PERIOD-END>                     MAR-31-1997
          <EXCHANGE-RATE>                            1
          <BOOK-VALUE>                        PER-BOOK
          <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>          1,803,540
          <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>           64,097
          <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>               264,698
          <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>             444,578
          <OTHER-ASSETS>                             0
          <TOTAL-ASSETS>                     2,576,913
          <COMMON>                             105,812
          <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>            285,486
          <RETAINED-EARNINGS>                  391,840
          <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>       783,138
          <PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                105,000  <F1>
          <PREFERRED>                           16,681
          <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                 626,456
          <SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                    73,400
          <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                  0
          <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>        34,472
          <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>         56,010
          <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                  0
          <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>            3,882
          <LEASES-CURRENT>                      14,399
          <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>       863,475
          <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>      2,576,913
          <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>            289,753
          <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                  30,513
          <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>           200,384
          <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>           230,897
          <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>               58,856
          <OTHER-INCOME-NET>                       114
          <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>        58,970
          <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>              16,076  <F2>
          <NET-INCOME>                          42,894
          <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>              144
          <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>         42,750
          <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>              15,000  <F3>
          <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>             49,138
          <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                43,541
          <EPS-PRIMARY>                              0
          <EPS-DILUTED>                              0
          <FN>
          <F1> REPRESENTS COMPANY-OBLIGATED MANDATORILY REDEEMABLE PREFERRED
          <F1> SECURITIES OF $105,000
          <F2> INCLUDES DIVIDENDS ON COMPANY-OBLIGATED MANDATORILY REDEEMABLE
          <F2> PREFERRED SECURITIES OF $2,297.
          <F3> REPRESENTS COMMON STOCK DIVIDENDS PAID TO PARENT CORPORATION.
          </FN>