<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, STATEMENT OF COMMON SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
AND PRIMARY AND FULLY DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE OF COMMON STOCK AND IS
QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<CIK> 0000028385
<NAME> DETROIT EDISON COMPANY
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               MAR-31-1997
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                    8,451,303
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                    507,239
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         852,535
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                     1,090,055
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              10,901,132
<COMMON>                                     1,451,199
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                      500,238
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                          1,382,302
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>               3,333,739
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0
<PREFERRED>                                    144,405
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                         3,694,663
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                   0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                   4,000
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                  144,214
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                            0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                    145,508
<LEASES-CURRENT>                               144,644
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>               3,289,959
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>               10,901,132
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                      864,156
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                            56,084
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     659,706
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     715,790
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        148,366
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                             (3,943)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 144,423
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                        70,502
<NET-INCOME>                                    73,921
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                      2,907
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                   71,014
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                        79,816
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                       67,308
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         240,816
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0