<ARTICLE> UT <CIK> 0000053456 <NAME> JERSEY CENTRAL POWER & LIGHT COMPANY <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> 2,684,782 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 548,744 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 390,437 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 958,159 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 4,582,122 <COMMON> 153,713 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 510,769 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 892,591 <F1> <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 1,557,073 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 211,500 <F2> <PREFERRED> 37,741 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 1,173,532 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 53,300 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 69,044 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 12 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 2,500 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LEASES-CURRENT> 85,366 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 1,392,054 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 4,582,122 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 2,069,648 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 164,445 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 1,607,589 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 1,772,034 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 297,614 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 33,380 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 330,994 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 108,552 <F3> <NET-INCOME> 222,442 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 10,065 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 212,377 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 195,000 <F4> <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 87,261 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 434,873 <EPS-PRIMARY> 0 <EPS-DILUTED> 0 <FN> <F1> INCLUDES ACCUMULATED OTHER COMPREHENSIVE LOSS OF $425. <F2> INCLUDES AMOUNT FOR COMPANY-OBLIGATED MANDATORILY REDEEMABLE <F2> PREFERRED SECURITIES OF $125,000. <F3> INCLUDES AMOUNT FOR COMPANY-OBLIGATED MANDATORILY REDEEMABLE <F3> PREFERRED SECURITIES OF $10,700. <F4> REPRESENTS COMMON STOCK DIVIDENDS PAID TO PARENT CORPORATION. </FN>