<ARTICLE> UT <LEGEND> This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from PG&E CORPORATION and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such financial statements. </LEGEND> <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1996 <PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1996 <PERIOD-END> DEC-31-1996 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 19,007,880 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 1,834,459 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 2,671,433 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 2,616,153 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 26,129,925 <COMMON> 2,017,521 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 3,709,893 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 2,635,887 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 8,363,301 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 437,500 <PREFERRED> 402,056 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 7,770,067 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 0 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 680,900 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 209,867 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 0 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LEASES-CURRENT> 0 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 8,266,234 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 26,129,925 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 9,609,972 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 554,994 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 7,714,387 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 7,714,387 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 1,895,585 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 54,441 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 1,950,026 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 639,823 <NET-INCOME> 755,209 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 33,113 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 722,096 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 728,727 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 0 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 2,610,876 <EPS-PRIMARY> 1.75 <EPS-DILUTED> 1.75