<ARTICLE> UT <CIK> 0000014407 <NAME> EASTERN EDISON COMPANY <MULTIPLIER> 1000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 12-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1998 <PERIOD-END> DEC-31-1998 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 492292 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 15425 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 103855 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 220050 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 831622 <COMMON> 72284 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 47205 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 106509 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 225998 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 27995 <PREFERRED> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 162550 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 0 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 0 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 0 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LEASES-CURRENT> 0 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 415079 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 831622 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 408230 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 18318 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 342282 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 360600 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 47629 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> (83) <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 47546 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 17840 <NET-INCOME> 29706 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 1988 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 27718 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 19806 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 13073 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 50451 <EPS-PRIMARY> 0 <EPS-DILUTED> 0