<ARTICLE> UT
<CIK> 0000023426
<NAME> THE CONNECTICUT LIGHT AND POWER COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES
<MULTIPLIER>1,000
       
                           
<PERIOD-TYPE>                 YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                  DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-END>                                       DEC-31-1998
<BOOK-VALUE>                                          PER-BOOK
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<OTHER-ASSETS>                                               0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                       6,050,198
<COMMON>                                               122,229
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                              664,534
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                    210,108
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                         996,871
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                   99,539
<PREFERRED>                                            116,200
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                 1,793,952
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                      10,000
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                    0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                               0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                          214,005
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                               19,750
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                             68,444
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                        94,440
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                       2,636,997
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                        6,050,198
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                            2,386,864
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                   (78,769)
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                           2,370,252
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                           2,358,610
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                 28,254
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                    (152,373)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                         (56,992)
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                               138,733
<NET-INCOME>                                          (195,725)
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                             14,139
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                         (209,864)
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                     0
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                              133,192
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                 388,662
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                             0.00
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