<ARTICLE> UT
<LEGEND>
This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from
Pacific Gas and Electric Company and is qualified in its entirety by
reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<SUBSIDIARY>
<NUMBER> 1
<NAME> PACIFIC GAS AND ELECTRIC COMPANY
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               SEP-30-1997
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                   17,484,072
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                          0
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                       2,828,874
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                     2,500,542
<OTHER-ASSETS>                               1,081,782
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              23,895,270
<COMMON>                                     2,017,521
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                    2,563,693
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                          2,590,172
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>               7,171,386
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          437,500
<PREFERRED>                                    402,056
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                         6,877,238
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                   0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                 812,850
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                  427,030
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                            0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                          0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                     0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>               7,767,210
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>               23,895,270
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                    7,093,819
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                           464,772
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   5,652,605
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   5,652,605
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                      1,441,214
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                              40,245
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>               1,481,459
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                       437,134
<NET-INCOME>                                   579,553
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                     24,835
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                  554,718
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                       592,047
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                      306,112
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                       1,919,280
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0