Exhibit 99
                           Press release


            NU Announces Selection of Deloitte & Touche as
                    External Auditing Firm



     BERLIN, Connecticut, March 15, 2002 (NYSE: NU) - Northeast
Utilities (NU) today announced that the Company's Board of
Trustees has selected Deloitte & Touche as its external auditor
beginning for the year 2002 and the account will be serviced from
the Deloitte & Touche Hartford, Connecticut office.  Deloitte &
Touche replaces Arthur Andersen who had been NU's external auditor
for twenty-five years.

     John Forsgren, vice chairman, executive vice president and
chief financial officer said, "The Company values greatly the
professional services provided by Arthur Andersen and equally
appreciates the services provided by their Connecticut based team.
The decision to change was an extremely difficult one and follows
an extensive auditor selection process which began months ago by
NU management and the Audit Committee of the Board of Trustees."
The selection of Deloitte & Touche will be submitted to the
Shareholders of Northeast Utilities for ratification at the Annual
Meeting in May.


The Northeast Utilities System operates New England's largest
energy delivery system, serving nearly 2 million electric power
customers in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire and
191,000 natural gas customers in Connecticut.  NU is one of the
largest competitive energy suppliers in New England and is a major
energy trader in the Northeast.  As a community and economic
development partner, NU is committed to environmental leadership
and stewardship.  For more information, please visit www.nu.com.

                               # # #