<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.
<MULTIPLIER>  1,000
       
                                                               
                
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                    DEC-31-1996   DEC-31-1995
<PERIOD-END>                         MAR-31-1996   MAR-31-1995
<PERIOD-TYPE>                              3-MOS         3-MOS
<BOOK-VALUE>                            PER-BOOK      PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>              3,878,680             0
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>              395,306             0
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                   494,776             0
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                        406,299    <F1>   
               0
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                         0          
 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 5,175,061          
 0
<COMMON>                                                      
64,970             0
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                        736,823          
 0
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                              854,720          
 0
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                 1,654,112   <F4>   
               0
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                  0          
               0
<PREFERRED>                                      147,016   <F2>   
               0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                           1,658,291          
               0
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                               164,711   <F3>   
               0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                              0          
 0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                         0          
 0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                     17,085          
 0
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                              0          
 0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                            0          
 0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                       0          
 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                 1,533,846          
 0
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                  5,175,061          
 0
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                        586,220     
558,316
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                              39,178      
29,963
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                       452,087     
454,968
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                       491,265     
484,931
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                           94,955      
73,385
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                 2,133       
5,714
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                    97,088      
79,099
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                          31,603      
27,341
<NET-INCOME>                                      61,496      
47,662
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                        2,172   <F2>   
           2,172   <F2>
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                     61,496        
47,662  
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                          38,305        
37,357   
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                         27,844        
26,079  
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                           174,457       
144,508  
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                       $.95          
$.73
<EPS-DILUTED>                                       $.95          
$.73
<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.
<F4> Total common stockholders equity is reflected net of
treasury stock at
     cost.
</FN>