<ARTICLE> UT <LEGEND> THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE BALANCE SHEET AND RELATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME, RETAINED EARNINGS AND CASH FLOWS OF NEW ENGLAND POWER COMPANY, AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1996 <PERIOD-END> SEP-30-1996 <PERIOD-TYPE> 9-MOS <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 1,926,112 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 74,920 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 392,532 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 234,417 <F1> <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 2,627,981 <COMMON> 128,998 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 376,597 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 396,358 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 901,953 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 39,666 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 735,953 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 124,375 <F2> <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> 826,034 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 2,627,981 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 1,206,881 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 75,242 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 972,952 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 1,048,194 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 158,687 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 3,394 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 162,081 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 41,781 <NET-INCOME> 120,300 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 2,055 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 118,245 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 106,746 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 33,855 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 183,322 <EPS-PRIMARY> 0 <F3> <EPS-DILUTED> 0 <F3> <FN> <F1> Total deferred charges includes other assets and accrued Yankee Atomic costs. <F2> Short-term notes includes commercial paper obligations and short-term debt to affiliates. <F3> Per share data is not relevant because the Company's common stock is wholly-owned by New England Electric System. </FN>