<ARTICLE> UT <LEGEND> THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE RELATED FORM 10-Q FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR THE CLEVELAND ELECTRIC ILLUMINATING COMPANY AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENT. </LEGEND> <CIK> 0000020947 <NAME> THE CLEVELAND ELECTRIC ILLUMINATING COMPANY <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <CURRENCY> U.S. DOLLARS <PERIOD-TYPE> 9-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1995 <PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1995 <PERIOD-END> SEP-30-1995 <EXCHANGE-RATE> 1 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 4,867,983 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 243,633 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 528,204 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 1,446,331 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 7,086,151 <COMMON> 1,241,249 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 78,624 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> (166,232) <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 1,153,641 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 215,420 <PREFERRED> 240,871 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 2,709,897 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 0 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 124,060 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 39,514 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 96,547 <LEASES-CURRENT> 52,354 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 2,453,847 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 7,086,151 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 1,360,578 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 81,592 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 957,688 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 1,039,280 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 321,298 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 25,110 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 346,408 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 185,218 <NET-INCOME> 161,190 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 32,127 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 129,063 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 44,606 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 233,385 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 312,426 <EPS-PRIMARY> 0 <EPS-DILUTED> 0