<ARTICLE> UT <CIK> 0000008192 <NAME> ATLANTIC CITY ELECTRIC CO. <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1997 <PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1997 <PERIOD-END> DEC-31-1997 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 1,791,505 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 92,503 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 239,751 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 312,996 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 2,436,755 <COMMON> 54,963 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 493,161 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 234,909 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 783,033 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 33,950 <PREFERRED> 100,000 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 833,744 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 55,675 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 0 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 0 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 39,077 <LEASES-CURRENT> 653 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 590,623 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 2,436,755 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 1,084,890 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 50,442 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 894,838 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 894,838 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 190,052 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 15,410 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 205,462 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 63,498 <NET-INCOME> 85,747 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 4,821 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 80,926 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 80,856 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 0 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 170,270 <EPS-PRIMARY> 0 <EPS-DILUTED> 0