<TABLE> <S> <C>
                                  
                                        
<ARTICLE>                              UT
<LEGEND>
This schedule  contains  summary  financial  information  extracted from Central
Maine Power Company's Consolidated  Statement of Earnings,  Consolidated Balance
Sheet and Consolidated  Statement of Cash Flows and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER>                                                1
<CURRENCY>                                       U.S. Dollars
                                         
<S>                                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                           6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                 DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-START>                                     JAN-1-1998
<PERIOD-END>                                      JUN-30-1998
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                             2
<BOOK-VALUE>                                         Per-Book
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                          $1,051,527
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                           $94,684
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                               $156,846
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                             $927,224
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                        $13,473
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                     $2,243,754
<COMMON>                                             $162,214
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                            $275,455
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                   $50,512
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                       $488,181
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                 $27,910
<PREFERRED>                                           $35,571
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                 $281,671
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                    $85,000
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                  $0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                             $0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                        $248,110
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                              $7,000
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                           $31,910
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                       $1,740
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                     $1,036,661
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                      $2,243,754
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                            $456,961
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                  $13,443
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                           $399,992
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                           $413,435
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                               $45,274
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                        ($6)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                        $45,268
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              $25,327
<NET-INCOME>                                          $19,941
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                            $2,971
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                         $16,970
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                              $14,609
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                             $13,181
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                $14,040
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                             .52
<EPS-DILUTED>                                             .52
        

</TABLE>