<ARTICLE> UT
<CIK> 0000106170
<NAME>WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS ELECTRIC COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARY
<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>                             736,128
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                           160,304
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                107,404
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                              336,925
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                              0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                      1,340,761
<COMMON>                                               26,812
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                             171,561
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                    46,763
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                        245,296
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                  16,500
<PREFERRED>                                            20,000
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                  290,025
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                    129,100
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                   0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                              0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                          60,000
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                               1,500
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<LEASES-CURRENT>                                       21,848
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                        545,548
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                       1,340,761
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                             206,515
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                    6,772
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                            177,891
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                            185,498
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                21,017
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                       (289)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                         21,563
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                               12,528
<NET-INCOME>                                            9,035
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                             1,456
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                           7,579
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                    0
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                   0
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                (26,531)
<EPS-BASIC>                                            0.00
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