<ARTICLE> UT <CIK> 0000315256 <NAME>PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE <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> 1,678,742 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 28,113 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 287,594 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 721,292 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 2,715,741 <COMMON> 1 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 424,250 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 203,593 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 627,844 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 50,000 <PREFERRED> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 516,485 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 50,000 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 0 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 25,000 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 750,287 <LEASES-CURRENT> 129,882 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 566,243 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 2,715,741 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 512,529 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 43,465 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 414,285 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 451,354 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 61,175 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 7,945 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 62,724 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 24,332 <NET-INCOME> 38,392 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 5,300 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 33,092 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 0 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 0 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 85,851 <EPS-PRIMARY> 0.00 <EPS-DILUTED> 0.00