<ARTICLE>                                           UT
<CIK> 0000065350
<NAME> METROPOLITAN EDISON COMPANY
<MULTIPLIER>                                     1,000
<CURRENCY>                                  US DOLLARS
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1998
<PERIOD-END>                               SEP-30-1998
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                      1
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                    1,300,492
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                    197,981
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         205,833
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                     2,301,300
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               4,005,606
<COMMON>                                        66,273
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                      370,200
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                            252,796    <F1>
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                 689,269
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          100,000    <F2>
<PREFERRED>                                     12,056
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                           576,903
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                              76,200
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                       0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                       24
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                            0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                         30
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                27,030
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>               2,524,094
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                4,005,606
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                      689,829
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                            32,115
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     564,647
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     596,762
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                         93,067
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                              (8,734)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                  84,333
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                        44,599    <F3>
<NET-INCOME>                                    32,929    <F4>
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                        362
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                   32,567
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                        60,000    <F5>
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                       42,480
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         105,401
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0
<FN>
<F1> INCLUDES ACCUMULATED OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME OF $11,595.
<F2> REPRESENTS COMPANY-OBLIGATED MANDATORILY REDEEMABLE PREFERRED
<F2> SECURITIES.
<F3> INCLUDES AMOUNT FOR COMPANY-OBLIGATED MANDATORILY REDEEMABLE
<F3> PREFERRED SECURITIES OF $6,750.
<F4> INCLUDES AN AFTER-TAX CHARGE FOR AN EXTRAORDINARY ITEM OF $6,805.
<F5> REPRESENTS COMMON STOCK DIVIDENDS PAID TO PARENT CORPORATION.
</FN>