<ARTICLE> UT
<CIK> 0000072741
<NAME> NORTHEAST UTILITIES AND SUBSIDIARIES
<MULTIPLIER>1,000
       
                           
<PERIOD-TYPE>                 YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                               DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-END>                                    DEC-31-1996
<BOOK-VALUE>                                       PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                         6,732,165
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                         610,630
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                            1,066,916
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                          2,332,037
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                            0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                   10,741,748
<COMMON>                                            680,260
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                           940,446
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                 832,520
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                    2,277,135
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                               276,000
<PREFERRED>                                         136,200
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                              3,613,681
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                   38,750
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                 0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                            0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                       294,503
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                            25,000
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                         186,860
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                     19,305
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                    3,874,314
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                    10,741,748
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                         3,792,148
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                 70,008
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                        3,452,315
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                        3,520,576
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                             271,572
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                   43,775
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                      313,600
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                            277,993
<NET-INCOME>                                         35,607
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                          33,776
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                         1,831
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                            176,277
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                           285,463
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                              815,470
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                          0.01
<EPS-DILUTED>                                          0.00