<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