<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>