<ARTICLE> UT
<CIK> 0000072741
<NAME> NORTHEAST UTILITIES AND SUBSIDIARIES
<MULTIPLIER>1,000
       
                           
<PERIOD-TYPE>                 9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               SEP-30-1998
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                    6,223,241
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                    782,221
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         864,587
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                     2,685,584
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              10,555,633
<COMMON>                                       684,506
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                      933,894
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                            700,822
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>               2,175,056
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          197,072
<PREFERRED>                                    136,200
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                         3,292,237
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                              40,000
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                       0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                  354,250
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                       24,884
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                    170,351
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                38,587
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>               3,982,830
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>               10,555,633
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                    2,808,096
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                            44,344
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   2,544,042
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   2,614,273
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        193,823
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                              (5,939)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 213,771
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                       200,190
<NET-INCOME>                                    13,581
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                     20,281
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                   (6,700)
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                             0
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                            0
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         572,876
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                    (0.05)
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     0.00