<ARTICLE> UT
<CIK> 0000072741
<NAME> NORTHEAST UTILITIES AND SUBSIDIARIES
<MULTIPLIER>1,000
       
                           
<PERIOD-TYPE>                 6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               JUN-30-1998
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                    6,290,148
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                    775,470
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         784,391
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                     2,108,411
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               9,958,420
<COMMON>                                       684,503
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                      934,316
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                            695,846
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>               2,167,460
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          197,072
<PREFERRED>                                    136,200
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                         3,364,622
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                              80,000
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                       0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                  274,827
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                       30,250
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                    159,886
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                51,373
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>               3,349,525
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                9,958,420
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                    1,833,714
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                            24,060
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   1,682,542
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   1,716,930
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        116,784
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                              10,959
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 138,071
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                       135,614
<NET-INCOME>                                     2,457
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                     14,133
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                  (11,676)
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                             0
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                            0
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         402,471
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                    (0.09)
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     0.00