<ARTICLE> UT
<LEGEND>
(AMOUNTS IN 1,000'S, EXCEPT PER SHARE)
INCOME TAX EXPENSE INCLUDES $19,378,000 RELATED TO OTHER INCOME
</LEGEND>
<CIK> 0000073960
<NAME> OHIO EDISON COMPANY
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
<CURRENCY> US DOLLARS
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1997
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                      1
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                    5,240,196
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                  1,289,391
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         554,744
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                     1,893,124
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               8,977,455
<COMMON>                                             1
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                    2,102,644
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                            621,674
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>               2,724,319
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          150,000
<PREFERRED>                                    211,870
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                         2,569,802
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                             182,245
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                 119,984
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                  268,621
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                        5,000
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                          0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                 4,871
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>               2,740,743
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                8,977,455
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                    2,473,582
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                           187,805
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   1,816,587
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   1,985,014
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        488,568
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                              52,847
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 541,415
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                       248,221
<NET-INCOME>                                   293,194
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                     12,392
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                  280,802
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                       216,770
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                      204,285
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         736,720
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0