<ARTICLE>                                           UT
<CIK> 0000065350
<NAME> METROPOLITAN EDISON COMPANY
<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>                    1,558,908
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                    195,139
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         222,851
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                       585,545
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               2,562,443
<COMMON>                                        66,273
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                      370,200
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                            288,277    <F1>
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                 724,750
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          100,000    <F2>
<PREFERRED>                                     12,056
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                           576,925
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                              81,600
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                       0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                       22
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                            0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                         30
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                34,732
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>               1,032,328
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                2,562,443
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                      234,748
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                            17,562
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     176,874
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     194,436
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                         40,312
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                (159)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                  40,153
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                        15,423    <F3>
<NET-INCOME>                                    24,730
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                        121
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                   24,609
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                        20,000    <F4>
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                       43,254
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                          21,566
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0
<FN>
<F1> INCLUDES ACCUMULATED OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME OF $15,034.
<F2> REPRESENTS COMPANY-OBLIGATED MANDATORILY REDEEMABLE PREFERRED
<F2> SECURITIES.
<F3> INCLUDES DIVIDENDS ON COMPANY-OBLIGATED MANDATORILY REDEEMABLE
<F3> PREFERRED SECURITIES OF $2,250.
<F4> REPRESENTS COMMON STOCK DIVIDENDS PAID TO PARENT CORPORATION.
</FN>