<ARTICLE>                                           UT
<CIK> 0000040779
<NAME> GPU, INC.
<MULTIPLIER>                                     1,000
<CURRENCY>                                  US DOLLARS
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                  12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1998
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1998
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                      1
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                    6,804,895
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                  2,299,943
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                       1,062,409
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                     6,120,862
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              16,288,109
<COMMON>                                       331,958
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                    1,011,310
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                          2,199,121    <F1>
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>               3,464,648    <F2>
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          416,500    <F3>
<PREFERRED>                                     66,478
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                         3,825,584
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                             368,607
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                       0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                  561,183
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                        2,500
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                      2,593
<LEASES-CURRENT>                               126,480
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>               7,453,536
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>               16,288,109
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                    4,248,792
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                           238,241
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   3,352,713
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   3,590,954
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        657,838
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                             119,446
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 777,284
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                       389,232    <F4>
<NET-INCOME>                                   360,126    <F5>
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                          0
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                  360,126
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                       258,058
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                      177,483
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         797,176
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     2.83    <F5>
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     2.83    <F5>
<FN>
<F1> INCLUDES ACCUMULATED OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME/(LOSS) OF
<F1> ($31,304).
<F2> INCLUDES REACQUIRED COMMON STOCK OF $77,741.
<F3> INCLUDES AMOUNT FOR SUBSIDIARY-OBLIGATED MANDATORILY REDEEMABLE
<F3> PREFERRED SECURITIES OF $330,000.
<F4> INCLUDES AMOUNT FOR SUBSIDIARY-OBLIGATED MANDATORILY REDEEMABLE
<F4> PREFERRED SECURITIES OF $28,888 AND PREFERRED STOCK DIVIDENDS OF
<F4> SUBSIDIARIES OF $11,243.
<F5> INCLUDES MINORITY INTEREST NET (INCOME)/LOSS OF ($2,171) AND
<F5> AN AFTER-TAX CHARGE FOR AN EXTRAORDINARY ITEM OF $25,755
<F5> ($.20 PER SHARE).
</FN>