<ARTICLE> UT <CIK> 0000315256 <NAME>PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE <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> 1,668,405 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 27,454 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 313,615 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 688,143 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 2,697,617 <COMMON> 1 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 424,364 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 231,498 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 655,863 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 50,000 <PREFERRED> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 516,485 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 10,000 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 0 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 25,000 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 724,318 <LEASES-CURRENT> 135,255 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 580,696 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 2,697,617 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 799,143 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 60,913 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 646,511 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 700,534 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 98,609 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 11,019 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 102,738 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 34,454 <NET-INCOME> 68,284 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 7,287 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 60,997 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 0 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 0 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 168,915 <EPS-PRIMARY> 0.00 <EPS-DILUTED> 0.00