<ARTICLE> UT
<CIK> 0000072741
<NAME> NORTHEAST UTILITIES AND SUBSIDIARIES
<MULTIPLIER>1,000

                           
<PERIOD-TYPE>                 YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                               DEC-31-1999
<PERIOD-END>                                    DEC-31-1999
<BOOK-VALUE>                                       PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                         3,947,434
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                         888,181
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                            1,071,280
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                          3,781,157
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                            0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                    9,688,052
<COMMON>                                            686,969
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                           940,726
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                 581,817
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                    2,083,311
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                               121,289
<PREFERRED>                                         136,200
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                              2,372,341
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                  278,000
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                 0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                            0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                       457,065
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                            46,250
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                          62,824
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                    118,469
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                    4,012,303
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                     9,688,052
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                         4,471,251
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                 98,611
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                        3,945,831
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                        4,126,714
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                             344,537
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                 (106,187)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                      320,622
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                            263,651
<NET-INCOME>                                         56,971
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                          22,755
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                        34,216
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                             13,168
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                           258,093
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                              614,218
<EPS-BASIC>                                          0.26
<EPS-DILUTED>                                          0.26