<ARTICLE> UT <LEGEND> THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE RELATED FORM 10-Q FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR CENTERIOR ENERGY CORPORATION AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. </LEGEND> <CIK> 0000774197 <NAME> CENTERIOR ENERGY CORPORATION <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <CURRENCY> US DOLLARS <PERIOD-TYPE> 9-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1996 <PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1996 <PERIOD-END> SEP-30-1996 <EXCHANGE-RATE> 1 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 6,709,912 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 430,513 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 748,297 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 2,416,146 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 10,304,868 <COMMON> 2,320,625 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 0 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> (355,823) <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 1,964,802 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 189,267 <PREFERRED> 448,325 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 3,612,166 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 0 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 180,044 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 31,379 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 142,464 <LEASES-CURRENT> 84,239 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 3,652,182 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 10,304,868 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 1,941,340 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 93,739 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 1,449,635 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 1,543,374 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 397,966 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> (4,780) <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 393,186 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 252,082 <NET-INCOME> 99,012 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 0 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 0 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 118,422 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 293,659 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 582,706 <EPS-PRIMARY> .67 <EPS-DILUTED> 0