<ARTICLE> UT
<CIK> 0000072741
<NAME> NORTHEAST UTILITIES AND SUBSIDIARIES
<MULTIPLIER>1,000
       
                           
<PERIOD-TYPE>                 YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1998
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                    6,170,881
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                    859,438
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         932,907
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                     2,424,155
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              10,387,381
<COMMON>                                       685,156
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                      940,661
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                            560,769
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>               2,047,372
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          167,539
<PREFERRED>                                    136,200
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                         3,282,138
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                              30,000
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                       0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                  350,903
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                       46,250
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                     88,423
<LEASES-CURRENT>                               120,856
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>               3,978,486
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>               10,387,381
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                    3,767,714
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                             5,939
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   3,460,655
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   3,542,987
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        224,727
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                            (152,344)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 148,776
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                       269,089
<NET-INCOME>                                  (120,313)
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                     26,440
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                 (146,753)
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                             0
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                      273,824
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         688,750
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                    (1.12)
<EPS-DILUTED>                                    (1.12)