<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> 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> 4,716,792 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 235,434 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 415,069 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 1,402,460 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 6,769,755 <COMMON> 1,242,148 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 78,618 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> (286,065) <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 1,034,701 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 186,118 <PREFERRED> 238,325 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 2,441,297 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 114,399 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 115,160 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 14,714 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 64,968 <LEASES-CURRENT> 49,266 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 2,510,807 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 6,769,755 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 431,627 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 19,203 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 332,419 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 351,622 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 80,005 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> (3,664) <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 76,341 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 56,111 <NET-INCOME> 20,230 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 9,315 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 10,915 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 29,605 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 208,720 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 105,482 <EPS-PRIMARY> 0 <EPS-DILUTED> 0