<ARTICLE> UT
<LEGEND>
This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from Bangor
Hydro-Electric Company's Form 10-K for the Year Ended 1996 and is qualified in
its entirety by reference to such 10-K.
</LEGEND>
<CIK> 0000009548
<NAME> BANGOR HYDRO-ELECTRIC COMPANY
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1996
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                      230,097
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                     49,705
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                          37,060
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                       239,767
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 556,629
<COMMON>                                        36,817
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                       56,969
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                             14,535
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                 108,321
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                           10,670
<PREFERRED>                                      4,734
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                           274,221
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                   0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                       32,500
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                       0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                   13,853
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                        1,594
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                          0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                     0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                 110,736
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                  556,629
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                      187,374
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                             4,882
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     146,250
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     151,132
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                         36,242
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                               1,466
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                  37,708
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                        26,425
<NET-INCOME>                                    11,283
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                      1,537
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                    9,746
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                         6,319
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                       23,651
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                          44,842
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     1.33
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     1.33