<ARTICLE> UT
<CIK> 0000106170
<NAME>WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS ELECTRIC COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARY
<MULTIPLIER>1,000
<PERIOD-TYPE>                 3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                 DEC-31-2000
<PERIOD-END>                                      MAR-31-2000
<BOOK-VALUE>                                         PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                             355,408
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                           165,234
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                103,507
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                              450,903
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                              0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                      1,075,052
<COMMON>                                               14,752
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                              93,816
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                    49,041
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                        157,769
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                  15,000
<PREFERRED>                                            20,000
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                  197,349
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                    123,400
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                   0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                              0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                               0
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                               1,500
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                             6,767
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                       21,077
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                        532,350
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                       1,075,052
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                             129,410
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                    1,802
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                            109,166
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                            114,628
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                14,782
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                        186
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                         18,628
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                7,575
<NET-INCOME>                                           11,053
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                               700
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                          10,353
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                    0
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                   0
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                 14,346
<EPS-BASIC>                                            0.00
<EPS-DILUTED>                                            0.00