Exhibit 99a


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


CONTACTS:National Grid USA                      National Grid Group (U.K.)

                     Media:                             Media:
                     Karen Berardino                    Sue Pemberton
                     (978) 725-1240                     011-44-207-282-2842

                     Investors:                         Investors:
                     Bob Seega                          Jill Sherratt
                     (508) 389-2178                     011-44-207-620-9191




EASTERN UTILITIES ASSOCIATES MERGES WITH NATIONAL GRID
Parent companies close deal; Massachusetts Electric and Narragansett Electric
begin serving EUA customers May 1

WESTBOROUGH, Mass., April 19, 2000 - National Grid USA  (formerly New England
Electric System, or NEES) completed its merger with Eastern Utilities
Associates (EUA) today, according to Rick Sergel, president and chief executive
officer of National Grid USA.  The final sale price for the merger, which was
announced on February 1, 1999, was $642 million, while the final price of EUA
shares was $31.459 per share.  There will be a special dividend paid to EUA
shareholders as of the merger closing date of $0.2835 per share.

"This is an exciting day for EUA customers and shareholders alike," said
Sergel.  "With this closing, we can move on with the business of providing
savings and long-term benefits to all of our customers, and shareholders can be
rewarded for their loyalty over the years."

On  May 1, EUA's local electric companies will merge into those of National
Grid USA.  Eastern Edison, serving the greater Brockton and Fall River areas of
Massachusetts, will become part of Massachusetts Electric, to serve 1.2 million
customers.  Blackstone Valley Electric Company and Newport Electric Corporation
will merge into Rhode Island's Narragansett Electric Company, to serve 560,400
customers.

Massachusetts and Rhode Island regulators have approved new rate plans for the
company's 1.7 million distribution customers in both states, which are
scheduled to take effect on May 1. The new rate plans call for an immediate
reduction in distribution rates, a five-year distribution rate freeze, and
implementation of performance standards for service reliability and customer
satisfaction.

National Grid USA's subsidiaries are engaged in the transmission and
distribution of electricity, the marketing of energy commodities and services,
and the construction and leasing of telecommunications infrastructure.
The National Grid Group plc (LSE, NYSE:NGG), parent company of National Grid
USA, builds, owns and operates electricity and telecommunications networks
around the world, focusing on liberalizing markets.  The world's largest
independent electricity transmission company, National Grid Group operates in
England, Wales, Argentina, Zambia, and the U.S.

The company has a growing portfolio of telecommunications businesses that
includes a minority stake in U.K. company Energis, which National Grid Group
created; operations in Brazil and now the U.S.; and a joint venture being
developed in Poland.