<ARTICLE> UT
<CIK> 0000072741
<NAME> NORTHEAST UTILITIES AND SUBSIDIARIES
<MULTIPLIER>1,000
<PERIOD-TYPE>                 9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-2000
<PERIOD-END>                               SEP-30-2000
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                    4,296,561
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                    985,664
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                       1,360,565
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                     3,922,590
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              10,565,380
<COMMON>                                       743,480
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                    1,094,996
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                            691,164
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>               2,413,785
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                           15,000
<PREFERRED>                                    136,200
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                         2,042,929
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                           1,127,338
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                       0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                  513,400
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                       26,500
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                     50,619
<LEASES-CURRENT>                               113,101
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>               4,010,653
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>               10,565,380
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                    4,379,241
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                           126,468
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   3,857,527
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   4,028,979
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        350,262
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                              (7,635)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 387,611
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                       223,852
<NET-INCOME>                                   163,759
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                     11,423
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                  152,336
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                        42,990
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                            0
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         416,428
<EPS-BASIC>                                     1.08
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     1.08