<ARTICLE> UT <CIK> 0000072741 <NAME> NORTHEAST UTILITIES AND SUBSIDIARIES <MULTIPLIER>1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1995 <PERIOD-END> JUN-30-1996 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 6,846,423 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 531,684 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 1,065,473 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 2,099,917 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 10,543,497 <COMMON> 680,260 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 943,266 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 972,293 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 2,408,113 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 276,000 <PREFERRED> 169,700 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 3,686,267 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 90,000 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 254,448 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 26,500 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 138,101 <LEASES-CURRENT> 68,878 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 3,237,784 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 10,543,497 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 1,900,106 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 85,747 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 1,601,071 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 1,685,026 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 215,080 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 23,372 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 236,660 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 142,832 <NET-INCOME> 93,828 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 16,660 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 77,168 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 112,215 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 0 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 503,955 <EPS-PRIMARY> 0.60 <EPS-DILUTED> 0.00