<ARTICLE>                                           UT
<CIK> 0000053456
<NAME> JERSEY CENTRAL POWER & LIGHT COMPANY
<MULTIPLIER>                                     1,000
<CURRENCY>                                  US DOLLARS
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1999
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1999
<PERIOD-END>                               MAR-31-1999
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                      1
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                    2,654,803
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                    557,752
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         380,040
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                       852,369
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               4,444,964
<COMMON>                                       153,713
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                      510,769
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                            913,856    <F1>
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>               1,578,338
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          211,500    <F2>
<PREFERRED>                                     37,741
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                         1,133,593
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                              28,900
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                       0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                   40,012
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                        2,500
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                          0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                77,874
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>               1,334,506
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                4,444,964
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                      516,889
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                            35,256
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     403,762
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     439,018
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                         77,871
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                               1,654
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                  79,525
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                        25,828    <F3>
<NET-INCOME>                                    53,697
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                      2,432
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                   51,265
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                        30,000    <F4>
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                       87,275
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         171,793
<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 $2,675.
<F4> REPRESENTS COMMON STOCK DIVIDENDS PAID TO PARENT CORPORATION.
</FN>