<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> 1,000,000
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1998
<PERIOD-END>                               MAR-31-1998
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                       17,165
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                          0
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                           3,287
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                         2,544
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                   1,058
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                  24,054
<COMMON>                                         1,865
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                        2,267
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                              2,375
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                   6,507
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                              437
<PREFERRED>                                        328
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                             5,945
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                   0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                       0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                      503
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                            0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                          0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                     0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                  10,334
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                   24,054
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                        2,025
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                               144
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                       1,599
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                       1,599
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                            426
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                   4
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                     430
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                           131
<NET-INCOME>                                       155
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                          7
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                      148
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                           100
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                           90
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                             613
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     0.00
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     0.00