8-K/A

                SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                    WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549-1004

                            FORM 8-K/A

                          CURRENT REPORT

              Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                  Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) December 29, 2004
                        -------------------
                        NORTHEAST UTILITIES
                       --------------------
      (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

        MASSACHUSETTS       1-5324              04-2147929
         -------------------------------------------------
    (State or other     (Commission         (I.R.S. Employer
    jurisdiction of     File Number)       Identification No.)
     organization)


          ONE FEDERAL STREET, BUILDING 111-4, SPRINGFIELD
   MASSACHUSETTS                                           01105
 -----------------------------------------------------------------
       (Address of principal executive offices)  (Zip Code)

                          (860) 665-5500
       (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

                          Not Applicable
                          --------------
   (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K/A filing is
intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the
registrant under any of the following provisions (see General
Instruction A.2. below):

[  ]      Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the
          Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

[  ]      Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the
          Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

[  ]      Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-
          2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d- 2(b))

[  ]      Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c)
          under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e- 4(c))


Section 8   -  Other Events

Item 8.01      Other Events

     The Item 8.01 disclosure in the 8-K filed by the Registrant
on December 28, 2004 is replaced in its entirety by the following:

     On December 28, 2004, The Connecticut Light and Power Company
("CL&P") and The United Illuminating Company ("UI") announced
revised cost estimates and schedule for their Middletown/Norwalk
Transmission Project.  On December 29, 2004, CL&P and UI issued a
revised news release to correct the number of miles of overhead
transmission line involved in both the first and second
alternative route proposals.  A copy of the revised joint CL&P/UI
news release is attached as Exhibit 99 and is incorporated herein.


Section 9  - Financial Statements and Exhibits

Item 9.01    Financial Statements and Exhibits

             (a)  Not Applicable

             (b)  Not Applicable

             (c)  Exhibits

                   Exhibit  Description
                   -------  -----------

                   Exhibit 99   Revised Joint CL&P/UI News
                         Release dated December 28, 2004.


                    [SIGNATURE PAGE TO FOLLOW]


                             SIGNATURE

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities and
Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be
signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                              NORTHEAST UTILITIES
                              (Registrant)


                              By:  /s/ Randy A. Shoop
                                   Name:  Randy A. Shoop
                                   Title: Vice President and Treasurer



Date:   January 3, 2005

EX-99

Exhibit 99

         CL&P and UI File Projected Middletown/Norwalk
                   Costs with Siting Council

Estimated $840 Million to $990 Million to build proposed project

Contact:     Frank Poirot (CL&P)      Marcia Wellman (UI)
Office:      (860) 665-3409           (203) 444-2161
After Hours: (800) 286-2000           (203) 444-2161

     BERLIN and NEW HAVEN, Connecticut, December 28, 2004 - It
will cost an estimated $840 million to $990 million to build
Connecticut Light & Power's (CL&P) and United Illuminating's
(UI) proposed Middletown/Norwalk Transmission Project,
according to a filing today with the Connecticut Siting
Council.  The expansion of the electrical grid is needed to
help meet the current and future energy needs of southwest
Connecticut and the region.

     The cost estimate has been updated to reflect current costs
associated with changes needed to address technical issues
introduced by the extensive amount of underground transmission
being proposed (45 miles of overhead and 24 miles of
underground construction) and a two-year delay in the project
in-service date from 2007 to 2009.  The variation in the cost
range is due to unknown soil and rock conditions that may be
encountered during construction and a provision for other
contingencies.  The low end of the new estimate is more than
$200 million higher than originally estimated in the companies'
2003 application.  Additional steps to lower magnetic fields
along the overhead portion of the proposed route would add
between $70 million and $80 million to the estimated cost.

     The filing also says that two other alternatives would cost
less than the proposed route.  These alternatives are more
controversial locally as they rely on more miles of overhead
construction.  The first alternative would involve installing
60 miles overhead and 13 miles underground and would cost an
estimated $810 million to $950 million.  The second alternative
would involve installing 72 miles overhead and four miles
underground at an estimated cost of $750 million to $860
million.

     "Last week, the companies provided the Connecticut Siting
Council with three reliable alternatives to meet the area's
electric needs," said Anthony Vallillo, UI's president and
chief operating officer. "This filing provides the costs of
each alternative, so the Siting Council can make a fully
informed decision."

     "While everyone acknowledges the urgent need for the project,
the current debate is focused on how much of the line should be
buried," said David H. Boguslawski, CL&P's vice president,
transmission business.  "We stand ready to build any of the
technically feasible alternatives."

                            (more)

    Today's filing updates cost estimates necessitated by
project changes recommended last week by the Reliability and
Operability Committee (ROC).  The committee, composed of
representatives of CL&P, UI and ISO New England, announced that
it, and its consultants, reached a consensus that installing 24
miles of underground cable will work, as part of the proposed
69 mile route.  The committee also reported it cannot support
undergrounding beyond the 24 miles because additional
underground cable introduces unacceptable risks to the
integrity and reliability of the grid. The ROC was created in
June 2004 after concerns were raised about maximizing the use
of underground cable in the Middletown/Norwalk Project.

     The Connecticut Siting Council is scheduled to hold hearings
on the proposal and the alternatives on January 11 and 13,
2005.  A ruling on the proposed project is expected by April 7,
2005.
                             # # #

The Connecticut Light and Power Company (CL&P) has been part of
everyday life in Connecticut for more than 100 years, providing
safe and reliable electric service to homes, neighborhoods and
businesses.  With more than 1.1 million customers in 149 cities
and towns, CL&P is an active member in the communities it
serves, offering programs in energy conservation, economic
development and environmental education.  CL&P is part of the
Northeast Utilities System (NYSE: NU).  For more information,
please visit www.cl-p.com.

UI, The United Illuminating Company, was formed in 1899 when the
Bridgeport Electric Company merged with the New Haven Electric
Company.  UI is a regional distribution utility providing
electricity and energy-related services to more than 320,000
customers in the Greater New Haven and Greater Bridgeport
areas.