<ARTICLE> UT
<CIK> 0000053456
<NAME> JERSEY CENTRAL POWER & LIGHT COMPANY
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
<CURRENCY> US DOLLARS
       
                                         
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                                12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                       DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                                          JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                                            DEC-31-1997
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                                   1
<BOOK-VALUE>                                               PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                                 2,881,682
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                 461,037
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                      387,738
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                    960,319
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                                    0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                            4,690,776
<COMMON>                                                    153,713
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                   510,769
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                         875,639
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                            1,540,121
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                       216,500   <F1>
<PREFERRED>                                                  37,741
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                      1,173,304
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                           95,800
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                         0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                               19,454
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                                    11
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                    12,500
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                       6
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                             79,419
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                            1,515,920
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                             4,690,776
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                 2,093,972
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                        110,740
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                1,658,382
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                1,769,122
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                     324,850
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                              543
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                              325,393
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                    113,379   <F2>
<NET-INCOME>                                                212,014
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                  11,376
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                               200,638
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                    150,000   <F3>
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                    89,869
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                      427,825
<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>