<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> 3-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1997 <PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1997 <PERIOD-END> MAR-31-1997 <EXCHANGE-RATE> 1 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 6,631,339 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 434,380 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 664,924 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 2,344,154 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 10,074,797 <COMMON> 2,320,651 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 0 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> (377,115) <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 1,943,536 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 189,473 <PREFERRED> 448,325 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 3,444,352 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 0 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 156,860 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 16,379 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 106,860 <LEASES-CURRENT> 84,371 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 3,684,641 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 10,074,797 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 611,608 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 27,366 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 471,851 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 499,217 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 112,391 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> (5,199) <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 107,192 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 77,588 <NET-INCOME> 16,097 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 0 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 0 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 59,210 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 278,849 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 137,012 <EPS-PRIMARY> .11 <EPS-DILUTED> 0