<ARTICLE> UT
<CIK> 0000023426
<NAME> THE CONNECTICUT LIGHT AND POWER COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES
<MULTIPLIER>1,000
       
                           
<PERIOD-TYPE>                 9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                  DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-END>                                       SEP-30-1998
<BOOK-VALUE>                                          PER-BOOK
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<OTHER-ASSETS>                                               0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                       6,209,157
<COMMON>                                               122,229
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                              664,529
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                    331,503
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                       1,118,261
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                  129,072
<PREFERRED>                                            116,200
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                 1,791,639
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                      10,000
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                    0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                               0
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<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                3,750
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<LEASES-CURRENT>                                        27,671
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                       2,664,433
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                        6,209,157
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                            1,798,333
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                   (32,673)
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                           1,763,052
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                           1,751,061
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                 47,272
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                     (44,307)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                          23,647
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                               101,392
<NET-INCOME>                                           (77,745)
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                             10,724
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                          (88,469)
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                     0
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                    0
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                 321,116
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                             0.00
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