<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> 6-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1997 <PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1997 <PERIOD-END> JUN-30-1997 <EXCHANGE-RATE> 1 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 4,719,915 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 768,355 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 442,998 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 1,406,188 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 7,337,456 <COMMON> 1,242,148 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 78,618 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> (310,900) <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 1,009,866 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 172,404 <PREFERRED> 238,325 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 3,011,080 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 140,651 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 120,160 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 14,714 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 63,429 <LEASES-CURRENT> 46,329 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 2,520,498 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 7,337,456 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 859,873 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 35,556 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 666,874 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 702,430 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 157,443 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> (8,885) <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 148,558 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 114,358 <NET-INCOME> 34,200 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 18,411 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 15,789 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 59,210 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 251,507 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 162,448 <EPS-PRIMARY> 0 <EPS-DILUTED> 0