<ARTICLE>                                           UT
<CIK> 0000040779
<NAME> GPU, INC.
<MULTIPLIER>                                     1,000
<CURRENCY>                                  US DOLLARS
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1998
<PERIOD-END>                               MAR-31-1998
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                      1
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                    7,488,943
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                  2,083,627
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                       1,058,431
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                     2,203,008
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              12,834,009
<COMMON>                                       331,958
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                    1,007,885
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                          2,259,753    <F1>
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>               3,519,270    <F2>
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          421,500    <F3>
<PREFERRED>                                     66,478
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                         4,064,192
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                             299,618
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                       0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                  411,140
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                       12,500
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                      3,145
<LEASES-CURRENT>                               131,276
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>               3,904,890
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>               12,834,009
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                    1,043,109
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                            66,293
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     783,475
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     849,768
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        193,341
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                              43,102
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 236,443
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                       102,162    <F4>
<NET-INCOME>                                   133,780    <F5>
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                          0
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                  133,780
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                        60,414
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                      274,479
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         214,381
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     1.07
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     1.07
<FN>
<F1> INCLUDES ACCUMULATED OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME/(LOSS) OF
<F1> ($14,733).
<F2> INCLUDES REACQUIRED COMMON STOCK OF $80,326.
<F3> INCLUDES SUBSIDIARY-OBLIGATED MANDATORILY REDEEMABLE PREFERRED
<F3> SECURITIES OF $330,000.
<F4> INCLUDES DIVIDENDS ON SUBSIDIARY-OBLIGATED MANDATORILY REDEEMABLE
<F4> PREFERRED SECURITIES OF $7,222 AND PREFERRED STOCK DIVIDENDS OF
<F4> SUBSIDIARIES OF $2,975.
<F5> INCLUDES MINORITY INTEREST NET (INCOME)/LOSS OF ($501).
</FN>