COMMON SHARES

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2012

Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements [Abstract]

Schedule of Stock by Class [Text Block]

12.       COMMON SHARES

The following table sets forth the NU common shares and the shares of CL&P, PSNH and WMECO common stock authorized and issued as of March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011and the respective par values:

	Shares
	Authorized			Issued
	Per Share		As of March 31, 2012
	Par Value		and December 31, 2011	As of March 31, 2012		As of December 31, 2011
NU	$	5	380,000,000		196,318,359		196,052,770
CL&P	$	10	24,500,000		6,035,205		6,035,205
PSNH	$	1	100,000,000		301		301
WMECO	$	25	1,072,471		434,653		434,653

As of March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011,18,790,898 and 18,894,078 NU common shares were held as treasury shares, respectively.

On March 4, 2011, NU's shareholders approved an increase in authorized shares from 225,000,000 to 380,000,000 in connection with the consummation of the NU-NSTAR merger.