<ARTICLE> UT <CIK> 0000023426 <NAME> THE CONNECTICUT LIGHT AND POWER COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES <MULTIPLIER>1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1996 <PERIOD-END> JUN-30-1997 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 3,798,335 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 422,383 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 600,858 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 1,275,755 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 6,097,331 <COMMON> 122,229 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 640,495 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 467,290 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 1,230,014 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 155,000 <PREFERRED> 116,200 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 2,018,462 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 100,000 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 25,615 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 0 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 144,583 <LEASES-CURRENT> 12,407 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 2,295,050 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 6,097,331 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 1,199,749 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> (29,220) <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 1,238,994 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 1,210,188 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> (10,439) <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 6,605 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> (3,420) <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 67,100 <NET-INCOME> (70,520) <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 7,611 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> (78,131) <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 5,989 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 0 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> (26,020) <EPS-PRIMARY> 0.00 <EPS-DILUTED> 0.00