EXHIBIT 3(a)

                      New England Power Company

Articles of Amendment

     As of February 25, 2000, (i) the preface for Article I of the
Company's Articles of Organization were amended to read as follows:

     The capital stock of the corporation shall consist of common
     stock of the par value of $20 a share, and the 6% Cumulative
     Preferred Stock of the par value of $100 a share, having the
     preferences, voting rights, restrictions and qualifications as
     follows:

     (ii)      Article I of the Company's Articles of Organization
               were amended by deleting in their entirety Sections 2,
               3, 4, and 5; and

     (iii)     The capital stock of the Company was decreased by
               2,262,500 shares of Dividend Series Preferred Stock of
               a par value of $100 per share and by 6,879,440 shares
               of Preferred Stock-Cumulative of a par value of $25
               per share.