PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT AND ACCUMULATED DEPRECIATION - Investment in Utility Property, plant and equipment by asset (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Public Utility, Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Distribution - Electric	$ 13,893,900	$ 13,716,900
Distribution - Natural Gas	3,049,300	3,010,400
Transmission	8,600,100	8,517,400
Generation	1,225,600	1,224,200
Electric and Natural Gas Utility	26,768,900	26,468,900
Other	585,100	591,600
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross	27,354,000	27,060,500
Less: Accumulated Depreciation
Electric and Natural Gas Utility	(6,607,500)	(6,480,400)
Other	(251,300)	(242,000)
Total Accumulated Depreciation	(6,858,800)	(6,722,400)
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	20,495,200	20,338,100
Construction Work in Progress	1,146,700	1,012,400
Net Plant	21,641,898	21,350,510
The Connecticut Light And Power Company [Member]
Public Utility, Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Distribution - Electric	5,628,700	5,562,900
Transmission	3,930,100	3,912,900
Generation	0	0
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross	9,558,800	9,475,800
Less: Accumulated Depreciation
Total Accumulated Depreciation	(2,125,400)	(2,082,400)
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	7,433,400	7,393,400
Construction Work in Progress	321,500	239,000
Net Plant	7,754,894	7,632,392
NSTAR Electric Company [Member]
Public Utility, Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Distribution - Electric	5,471,500	5,402,300
Transmission	2,462,800	2,435,800
Generation	0	0
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross	7,934,300	7,838,100
Less: Accumulated Depreciation
Total Accumulated Depreciation	(2,064,400)	(2,025,400)
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	5,869,900	5,812,700
Construction Work in Progress	239,000	239,100
Net Plant	6,108,944	6,051,835
Public Service Company Of New Hampshire [Member]
Public Utility, Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Distribution - Electric	1,981,900	1,949,800
Transmission	1,075,500	1,059,300
Generation	1,189,600	1,188,200
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross	4,247,000	4,197,300
Less: Accumulated Depreciation
Total Accumulated Depreciation	(1,277,700)	(1,254,700)
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	2,969,300	2,942,600
Construction Work in Progress	107,300	96,700
Net Plant	3,076,608	3,039,313
Western Massachusetts Electric Company [Member]
Public Utility, Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Distribution - Electric	851,800	841,900
Transmission	1,083,400	1,061,100
Generation	36,000	36,000
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross	1,971,200	1,939,000
Less: Accumulated Depreciation
Total Accumulated Depreciation	(347,000)	(338,800)
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	1,624,200	1,600,200
Construction Work in Progress	70,600	78,100
Net Plant	$ 1,694,818	$ 1,678,262