<ARTICLE> UT
<LEGEND>
This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from Bangor
Hydro-Electric Company's form 10Q 1st qtr 1999 and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to such 10Q filing.
</LEGEND>
<CIK> 0000009548
<NAME> BANGOR HYDRO-ELECTRIC COMPANY
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1999
<PERIOD-END>                               MAR-31-1999
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                      249,723
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                     55,379
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                          37,757
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                       253,576
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 596,435
<COMMON>                                        36,817
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                       59,054
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                             26,926
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                 122,797
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                            7,619
<PREFERRED>                                      4,734
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                           254,622
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                   0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                        4,000
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                       0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                   25,753
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                        1,594
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                          0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                     0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                 175,316
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                  596,435
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                       50,222
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                             2,450
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                      37,886
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                      40,336
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                          9,886
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                 403
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                  10,289
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                         6,077
<NET-INCOME>                                     4,212
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                        279
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                    3,933
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                             0
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                       21,298
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                          22,523
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                    $0.53
<EPS-DILUTED>                                    $0.47