<ARTICLE>                                           UT
<LEGEND>
     THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM BGE'S
DECEMBER 31, 1997 INTERIM CONSOLIDATED INCOME STATEMENT, BALANCE SHEET AND
STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH
STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER>                                   1,000,000
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                                 JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                                   DEC-31-1997
<BOOK-VALUE>                                      PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                          5,652
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                        1,558
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                             1,047
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                             517
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                         0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                     8,773
<COMMON>                                           1,433
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                              0
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                1,433
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                     2,870
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                 90
<PREFERRED>                                          210
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                               2,989
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                     0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                              0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                       316
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                        249
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                             23
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                            0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                       0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                     2,026
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                      8,773
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                          3,308
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                 158
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                         2,584
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                         2,742
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                              566
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                   (53)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                       513
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                             230
<NET-INCOME>                                         283
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                           29
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                        254
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                             239
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                            241
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                               726
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                       1.72
<EPS-DILUTED>                                       1.72