<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE>          UT
<CIK>              0001062043
<NAME>             POTOMAC ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY TRUST I
<SUBSIDIARY>
   <NUMBER>        2
   <NAME>          POTOMAC CAPITAL INVESTMENT CORPORATION
                   POTOMAC ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY TRUST I
<MULTIPLIER>       1,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-END>                               SEP-30-1998
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                    4,465,331
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                          0
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         506,160
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                       645,980
<OTHER-ASSETS>                               1,124,972
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               6,742,443
<COMMON>                                       118,527
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                    1,011,604
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                            798,713
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>               1,928,844
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                           50,000
<PREFERRED>                                    100,000
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                         1,858,590
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                   0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                 119,125<F1>
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                   45,000
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                            0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                    158,336
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                20,772
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>               2,461,776<F2>
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                6,742,443
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                    1,659,684
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                           129,150
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   1,212,921
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   1,342,071
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        317,613
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                              19,879
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 337,492
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                       110,891
<NET-INCOME>                                   226,601
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                     16,122<F3>
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                  210,479
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                       147,484
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                      139,600<F4>
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         345,495
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                    $1.78<F5>
<EPS-DILUTED>                                    $1.73
<FN>
<F1>Included on the Balance Sheet in the caption "short-term debt".
<F2>Includes redeemable preferred securities of subsidiary trust.
<F3>Includes preferred stock redemption premium of $6,632.
<F4>Total annualized interest cost for all utility long-term debt and
manditorily redeemable preferred securities of subsidiary trust outstanding 
at September 30, 1998.
<F5>Basic earnings per share for the nine months ended September 30, 1998 were
$1.78.  Diluted earnings per share for the nine months ended September 30, 1998
were $1.73.
</FN>
        

</TABLE>