<ARTICLE> UT
<CIK> 0000072741
<NAME> NORTHEAST UTILITIES AND SUBSIDIARIES
<MULTIPLIER>1,000
       
                           
<PERIOD-TYPE>                 YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1997
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                    6,463,158
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                    704,701
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         970,673
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                     2,275,880
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              10,414,412
<COMMON>                                       684,211
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                      932,493
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                            664,678
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>               2,127,241
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          245,750
<PREFERRED>                                    136,200
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                         3,645,659
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                              50,000
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                       0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                  244,560
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                       30,250
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                     30,427
<LEASES-CURRENT>                               177,304
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>               3,572,880
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>               10,414,412
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                    3,834,806
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                            (2,106)
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   3,641,174
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   3,649,770
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        185,036
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                             (29,179)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 166,559
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                       271,981
<NET-INCOME>                                  (105,422)
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                     30,286
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                 (135,708)
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                        32,134
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                      282,095
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         377,221
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                    (1.05)
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     0.00