<ARTICLE> UT
<LEGEND>
This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from Bangor
Hydro-Electric Company-1998 Form 10K and is qualified in its entirety by
rreference to such 10K.
</LEGEND>
<CIK> 0000009548
<NAME> BANGOR HYDRO-ELECTRIC COMPANY
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1998
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                      251,342
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                     55,557
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                          36,645
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                       262,144
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 605,688
<COMMON>                                        36,817
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                       59,054
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                             22,993
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                 118,864
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                            7,604
<PREFERRED>                                      4,734
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                           263,028
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                   0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                       12,000
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                       0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                   25,515
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                        1,594
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                          0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                     0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                 172,349
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                  605,688
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                      195,144
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                             6,093
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     153,915
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     160,008
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                         35,136
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                               1,292
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                  36,428
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                        24,963
<NET-INCOME>                                    11,465
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                      1,244
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                   10,221
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                             0
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                       22,906
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                          30,932
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                    $1.39
<EPS-DILUTED>                                    $1.33