<ARTICLE> UT
<LEGEND>
THE SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE
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>
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
<CIK> 0000028385
<NAME> DETROIT EDISON COMPANY
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1996
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1996
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                    8,500,667
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                    470,323
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         756,649
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                     1,146,838
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              10,874,477
<COMMON>                                     1,451,199
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                      500,238
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                          1,391,104
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>               3,342,541
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0
<PREFERRED>                                    144,405
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                         3,740,434
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                   0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                  10,001
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                  144,214
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                            0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                    115,742
<LEASES-CURRENT>                               144,499
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>               3,232,641
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>               10,874,477
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                    3,642,043
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                           226,567
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   2,796,789
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   3,023,356
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        618,687
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                             (3,237)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 615,450
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                       287,912
<NET-INCOME>                                   327,538
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                     16,015
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                  311,523
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                       319,263
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                      275,166
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                       1,086,049
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0