<ARTICLE> UT
<CIK> 0000072741
<NAME> NORTHEAST UTILITIES AND SUBSIDIARIES
<MULTIPLIER>1,000
       
                           
<PERIOD-TYPE>                 3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1995
<PERIOD-END>                               MAR-31-1996
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                    6,917,526
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                    523,757
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         973,372
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                     2,082,654
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              10,497,309
<COMMON>                                       680,259
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                      944,965
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                          1,016,660
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>               2,448,047
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          301,000
<PREFERRED>                                    169,700
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                         3,701,066
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                              40,000
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                       0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                  218,225
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                        1,500
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                    138,398
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                78,407
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>               3,207,129
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>               10,497,309
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                    1,028,202
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                            59,242
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     835,185
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     894,941
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        133,261
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                               8,610
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 142,385
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                        68,513
<NET-INCOME>                                    73,872
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                      8,370
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                   65,502
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                        56,082
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                            0
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         300,846
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     0.51
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     0.00