EXHIBIT 99

News Release


CONTACT:             Al Lara
Office:             (860) 665-5527
Media after hours:  (800) 286-2000



        Federal court grants NU partial summary judgment
           in merger breakup with Consolidated Edison


     BERLIN, Connecticut, March 15, 2003 - Northeast Utilities
(NU) announced today that the federal district court in Manhattan
has denied, in its entirety, Consolidated Edison's motion for
summary judgment dismissing NU's lawsuit seeking to recover
damages for Con Ed's repudiation of the parties' October 1999
merger agreement.  At the same time, the court also granted NU's
motion for summary judgment dismissing Con Ed's claims for fraud
and negligent misrepresentation.

     An NU spokesperson stated, "We are gratified that the court
has left intact our claim to recover the $1.2 billion merger
premium (plus interest) for the benefit of our shareholders as
well as dismissing Con Ed's claims of fraud and negligent
misrepresentation.  We are looking forward to the opportunity to
prove our case at trial."

Northeast Utilities (NYSE: NU) is a Fortune 500 diversified
energy company located in Connecticut with operations throughout
the Northeast.  Through its competitive and regulated
subsidiaries, NU provides energy for a changing world with a full
range of products and services to millions of residential and
business customers from Maine to Maryland.  From delivering
electricity and natural gas, to marketing energy commodities, to
operating and maintaining power plant facilities, NU is committed
to safety, reliability and expanding consumers' energy options.
For more information on Northeast Utilities and its subsidiaries,
visit the NU family of Web sites at www.nu.com.

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