<ARTICLE> UT
<CIK> 0000072741
<NAME> NORTHEAST UTILITIES AND SUBSIDIARIES
<MULTIPLIER>1,000
       
                           
<PERIOD-TYPE>                 3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               MAR-31-1998
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                    6,353,106
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                    757,834
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         959,630
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                     2,201,174
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              10,271,744
<COMMON>                                       684,287
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                      934,825
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                            689,573
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>               2,158,081
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          222,072
<PREFERRED>                                    136,200
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                         3,462,197
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                              35,000
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                       0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                  394,808
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                       30,250
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                     29,129
<LEASES-CURRENT>                               179,138
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>               3,474,265
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>               10,271,744
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                      958,905
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                            13,737
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     901,656
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     918,417
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                         40,488
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                              13,449
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                  56,961
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                        67,588
<NET-INCOME>                                   (10,627)
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                      7,322
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                  (17,949)
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                             0
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                            0
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         298,446
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                    (0.14)
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     0.00