<ARTICLE> UT
          <CIK> 0000053456
          <NAME> JERSEY CENTRAL POWER & LIGHT COMPANY
          <MULTIPLIER> 1,000
          <CURRENCY> US DOLLARS
                 
                                        
          <PERIOD-TYPE>                         6-MOS 
          <FISCAL-YEAR-END>               DEC-31-1997 
          <PERIOD-START>                  JAN-01-1997 
          <PERIOD-END>                    JUN-30-1997 
          <EXCHANGE-RATE>                           1 
          <BOOK-VALUE>                       PER-BOOK 
          <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>         2,904,157 
          <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>         417,210 
          <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>              503,976 
          <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>            992,901 
          <OTHER-ASSETS>                            0 
          <TOTAL-ASSETS>                    4,818,244 
          <COMMON>                            153,713 
          <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>           510,769 
          <RETAINED-EARNINGS>                 872,521 
          <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>    1,537,003 
          <PREFERRED-MANDATORY>               216,500   <F1>
          <PREFERRED>                          37,741 
          <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>              1,173,196 
          <SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                   47,400 
          <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                 0 
          <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>      145,893 
          <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>        45,884 
          <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>            12,500 
          <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>             325 
          <LEASES-CURRENT>                     89,650 
          <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>    1,512,152 
          <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>     4,818,244 
          <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>           988,669 
          <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                 46,092 
          <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>          789,454 
          <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>          835,546 
          <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>             153,123 
          <OTHER-INCOME-NET>                   (2,413)
          <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>      150,710 
          <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>             57,149   <F2>
          <NET-INCOME>                         93,561 
          <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>           6,041 
          <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>        87,520 
          <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>             40,000   <F3>
          <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>            90,276 
          <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>               73,331 
          <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 $5,350.
          <F3> REPRESENTS COMMON STOCK DIVIDENDS PAID TO PARENT CORPORATION.
          </FN>