<ARTICLE> UT
<CIK> 0000072741
<NAME> NORTHEAST UTILITIES AND SUBSIDIARIES
<MULTIPLIER>1,000

                           
<PERIOD-TYPE>                 6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1999
<PERIOD-END>                               JUN-30-1999
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                    6,110,287
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                    891,645
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                       1,067,485
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                     2,279,109
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              10,348,526
<COMMON>                                       686,188
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                      940,448
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                            579,449
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>               2,073,662
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          141,039
<PREFERRED>                                    136,200
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                         3,151,013
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                             258,000
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                       0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                  156,982
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                       46,250
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                     79,628
<LEASES-CURRENT>                               120,258
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>               4,053,071
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>               10,348,526
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                    2,081,976
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                            35,108
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   1,880,299
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   1,935,846
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        146,130
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                              (3,047)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 163,522
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                       132,969
<NET-INCOME>                                    30,553
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                     11,881
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                   18,672
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                             0
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                            0
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         428,447
<EPS-BASIC>                                     0.14
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     0.14