<ARTICLE> UT
<CIK> 0000072741
<NAME> NORTHEAST UTILITIES AND SUBSIDIARIES
<MULTIPLIER>1,000
       
                           
<PERIOD-TYPE>                 9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1995
<PERIOD-END>                               SEP-30-1996
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                    6,788,878
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                    557,288
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                       1,019,885
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                     2,028,428
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              10,394,479
<COMMON>                                       680,260
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                      941,205
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                            941,341
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>               2,381,084
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          276,000
<PREFERRED>                                    169,700
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                         3,688,530
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                              15,000
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                       0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                  254,513
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                       26,500
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                    187,095
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                19,189
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>               3,195,146
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>               10,394,479
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                    2,855,624
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                           100,205
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   2,475,861
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   2,572,512
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        283,112
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                              34,743
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 314,301
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                       210,792
<NET-INCOME>                                   103,509
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                     25,308
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                   78,201
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                       144,200
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                            0
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         668,688
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     0.61
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     0.00