<ARTICLE> UT
<LEGEND>
The Schedule contains summary financial information extracted from The Detroit
Edison Company and Subsidiary Companies Consolidated Statement of Income,
Balance Sheet, Statement of Cash Flows and Statement of Common Shareholders'
Equity and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such financial
statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK> 0000028385
<NAME> THE DETROIT EDISON COMPANY
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1996
<PERIOD-END>                               MAR-31-1996
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                    8,490,547
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                    421,907
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         845,890
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                     1,297,547
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              11,055,891
<COMMON>                                     1,451,199
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                      500,238
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                          1,427,499
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>               3,378,936
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0
<PREFERRED>                                    144,405
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                         3,921,894
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                   0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                       0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                  138,428
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                            0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                    126,130
<LEASES-CURRENT>                               137,830
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>               3,208,268
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>               11,055,891
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                      908,891
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                            76,672
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     645,013
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     721,685
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        187,206
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                 719
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 187,925
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                        72,161
<NET-INCOME>                                   115,764
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                      7,293
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                  108,471
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                        79,816
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                       68,360
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         248,669
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0