<ARTICLE> UT
<CIK> 0000065350
<NAME> METROPOLITAN EDISON 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>                                1,576,530
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                180,068
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                     201,100
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                   576,283
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                                   0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                           2,533,981
<COMMON>                                                    66,273
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                  370,200
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                        281,121   <F1>
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                             717,594
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                      100,000   <F2>
<PREFERRED>                                                 12,056
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                       576,924
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                          48,800
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                        0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                              18,479
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                                   22
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                        0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                     30
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                            38,372
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                          1,021,704
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                            2,533,981
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                  943,109
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                        64,314
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                 728,644
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                 792,958
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                    150,151
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                           1,991
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                             152,142
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                    58,625   <F3>
<NET-INCOME>                                                93,517
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                    483
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                               93,034
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                    80,000   <F4>
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                   43,885
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                     212,477
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                                    0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                    0
<FN>
<F1> INCLUDES ACCUMULATED OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME OF $12,487.
<F2> REPRESENTS COMPANY-OBLIGATED MANDATORILY REDEEMABLE PREFERRED
<F2> SECURITIES.
<F3> INCLUDES DIVIDENDS ON COMPANY-OBLIGATED MANDATORILY REDEEMABLE
<F3> PREFERRED SECURITIES OF $9,000.
<F4> REPRESENTS COMMON STOCK DIVIDENDS PAID TO PARENT CORPORATION.
</FN>