<ARTICLE> UT <LEGEND> THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE RELATED FORM 10-Q FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE CLEVELAND ELECTRIC ILLUMINATING COMPANY AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. </LEGEND> <CIK> 0000020947 <NAME> THE CLEVELAND ELECTRIC ILLUMINATING COMPANY <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> 4,768,934 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 250,421 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 442,525 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 1,413,450 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 6,875,330 <COMMON> 1,242,124 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 78,617 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> (218,613) <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 1,102,128 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 185,912 <PREFERRED> 238,325 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 2,599,076 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 6,281 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 111,160 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 29,714 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 85,465 <LEASES-CURRENT> 49,468 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 2,467,801 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 6,875,330 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 1,368,042 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 66,804 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 1,018,826 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 1,085,630 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 282,412 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> (677) <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 281,735 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 181,015 <NET-INCOME> 100,720 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 29,408 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 71,312 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 105,816 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 222,442 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 405,896 <EPS-PRIMARY> 0 <EPS-DILUTED> 0