<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>                   9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1998
<PERIOD-END>                               SEP-30-1998
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                       12,858
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                          0
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                           2,175
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                         2,618
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                   4,817
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                  22,468
<COMMON>                                         3,806
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                            0
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                              2,186
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                   5,992
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                              437
<PREFERRED>                                        287
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                             5,559
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                  10
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                      10
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                      275 
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                            0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                          0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                     0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                   9,898
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                   22,468
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                        6,706
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                               480
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                       5,257
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                       5,257
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                          1,449
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                  78
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                   1,527
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                           493
<NET-INCOME>                                       554
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                         21
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                      533
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                           200
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                          260
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                           2,755
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     0.00
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     0.00