<ARTICLE> UT <CIK> 0000315256 <NAME>PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE <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> 1,695,869 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 27,883 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 385,444 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 757,190 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 2,866,386 <COMMON> 1 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 424,097 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 174,385 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 598,483 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 75,000 <PREFERRED> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 516,485 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 0 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 170,000 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 25,000 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 774,829 <LEASES-CURRENT> 127,909 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 578,680 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 2,866,386 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 261,745 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 18,652 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 227,494 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 242,920 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 18,825 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 4,068 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 19,667 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 12,820 <NET-INCOME> 6,847 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 2,650 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 4,197 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 0 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 0 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 81,476 <EPS-PRIMARY> 0.00 <EPS-DILUTED> 0.00