Consent of Independent Accountants
                                                                    Exhibit 23.1


                      CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS


  We consent to the incorporation by reference in the registration
statement of Boston Edison Company on Form S-3 (File No. 33-57840) of our
report dated January 26, 2000 on our audits of the consolidated financial
statements of Boston Edison Company as of December 31, 1999 and 1998 and for
each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 1999, which report
is included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.



                         By:  /s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
                              ----------------------------------
                                  PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP


Boston, Massachusetts
January 26, 2000

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