<ARTICLE>     UT
<LEGEND> THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED 
    FROM THE CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET AND RELATED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS 
    OF INCOME, RETAINED EARNINGS AND CASH FLOWS OF NEW ENGLAND ELECTRIC SYSTEM, 
    AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER>  1,000
       
                                                                          
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                    DEC-31-1995   DEC-31-1994  DEC-31-1995   DEC-31-1994
<PERIOD-END>                         SEP-30-1995   SEP-30-1994  SEP-30-1995   SEP-30-1994
<PERIOD-TYPE>                              9-MOS         9-MOS        3-MOS         3-MOS
<BOOK-VALUE>                            PER-BOOK      PER-BOOK     PER-BOOK      PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>              3,834,159             0            0             0
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>              385,374             0            0             0
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                   501,419             0            0             0
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                 426,849            <F1>          0             0            0
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                 0             0            0             0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                         5,147,801             0            0             0
<COMMON>                                                64,970            0             0            0
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                736,823             0            0             0
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                      820,090             0            0             0
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>         1,620,367            <F4>          0             0            0
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          0             0            0             0
<PREFERRED>                              147,016            <F2>          0             0            0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                   1,639,356             0            0             0
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                       192,600            <F3>          0             0            0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                      0             0            0             0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                 0             0            0             0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>             22,520             0            0             0
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                      0             0            0             0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                    0             0            0             0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                               0             0            0             0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>         1,525,942             0            0             0
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>          5,147,801             0            0             0
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>              1,690,989     1,685,617      599,126       591,633
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                      96,941       107,528       46,199        39,573
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>             1,358,461     1,344,157      450,606       467,706
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>             1,455,402     1,451,685      496,805       507,279
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                  235,587       233,932      102,321        84,354
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                        15,359        13,678        4,156         5,250
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>           250,946       247,610      106,477        89,604
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                  83,479        73,733       28,580        26,735
<NET-INCOME>                             155,013       161,708       73,820        58,851
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                6,517            <F2>      6,525            <F2>      2,172   <F2>   2,172   <F2>
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>            155,013       161,708       73,820        58,851
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                 113,968       111,098       38,279        37,358
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                 80,653        68,869       27,509        23,636

<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                   356,954       373,753      151,294       105,189
<EPS-PRIMARY>                              $2.39         $2.49        $1.14         $0.91
<EPS-DILUTED>                              $2.39         $2.49        $1.14         $0.91
<FN>
<F1> Total deferred charges includes other assets and accrued Yankee Atomic costs.
<F2> Preferred stock reflects preferred stock of subsidiaries.  Preferred stock dividends reflect preferred stock dividends of
subsidiaries.
<F3> Short-term notes includes commercial paper obligations and notes payable to banks.
<F4> Total common stockholders equity is reflected net of treasury stock at cost.
</FN>