8-K

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

                          FORM 8-K

                       CURRENT REPORT

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

  Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) October 8, 2002
                     -------------------
                Commission File Number 1-5324
                           ------

                     NORTHEAST UTILITIES
                    --------------------
   (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


       MASSACHUSETTS                           04-2147929
    ----------------------                  ---------------
   (State or other jurisdiction of         (I.R.S. Employer
            organization)                  Identification No.)

174 BRUSH HILL AVENUE, WEST SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 01090-0010
   ------------------------------------------------------------
(Address of principal executive offices)	             (Zip Code)

                       (413) 785-5871
    (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)


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


Item 9.  Regulation FD Disclosure

     The  material attached hereto as Exhibit 99,  which  is
incorporated  in  this  Item  9  by  reference  thereto,  is
furnished pursuant to Regulation FD.  This material consists
of  a  News Release of Northeast Utilities dated October  8,
2002,  entitled "NU Lowers 2002 Earnings Guidance,  Declares
Regular Dividend."



                            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/  David R. McHale
                                   Name: David R. McHale
                                   Title:   Vice President
                                             and Treasurer

Date:  October 8, 2002

EX-99

                                                  Exhibit 99

Contact:  Jeffrey R. Kotkin
   Office:     (860) 665-5154


NU LOWERS 2002 EARNINGS GUIDANCE, DECLARES REGULAR DIVIDEND

     BERLIN, Connecticut, October 8, 2002-Northeast
Utilities (NU) today revised its 2002 earnings guidance to a
range of $1.10 to $1.30 per share.

     That range includes expected gains of $0.23 per share
resulting from the sale of NU's 40-percent interest in the
Seabrook nuclear power plant later this year and previously
announced first-quarter 2002 write-offs of $0.08 per share
primarily associated with NU's investment in NEON
Communications, Inc.  Earlier this year, NU said it expected
to earn near the low end of a range of $1.40 to $1.65 per
share, excluding significant nonrecurring items.

     Also today, the NU Board of Trustees declared a regular
common dividend of $0.1375 per share, payable December 31,
2002, to shareholders of record as of December 1, 2002.

     Michael G. Morris, NU chairman, president and chief
executive officer, attributed the lowered earnings range to
continuing losses at NU's competitive energy businesses.
Those businesses lost approximately $31 million in the first
half of 2002 and are expected to lose another $20 million to
$30 million in the second half of 2002.  Morris said Select
Energy, Inc., NU's competitive energy marketing subsidiary,
continues to be negatively affected by difficult market
conditions caused by increased volatility in energy prices.
As previously announced, Select Energy also was impacted by
the failure to secure regulatory approval for higher prices
on its supply contract with The Connecticut Light and Power
Company, NU's largest regulated subsidiary.

     Morris said that, to a lesser extent, earnings per
share are being reduced by lower than projected share
repurchases.  NU has repurchased approximately 2 million
shares in 2002 under a board authorization that expires June
30, 2003.  The current earnings range primarily reflects the
company's uncertainty over the result of certain pending
regulatory dockets.

     Morris said NU will release third-quarter 2002 results
the morning of Monday, October 21.  Also that morning, the
company will webcast a presentation to analysts beginning at
10:30 a.m., Eastern Daylight Time.  That webcast will be
available through NU's website at www.nu.com.  The company
expects to present guidance for 2003 financial performance
and review other topics at that time.

     NU operates New England's largest utility system,
serving more than 1.8 million electric customers in Connecticut,
New Hampshire, and Massachusetts and 190,000 natural gas
customers in Connecticut.  It is also one of the leading
energy marketing firms in New England.

     This press release includes forward-looking statements
within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995, which are statements of future
expectations and not facts.  Actual results or developments
might differ materially from those included in the forward-
looking statements because of factors such as competition
and industry restructuring, changes in economic conditions,
changes in historical weather patterns, changes in laws,
regulations or regulatory policies, developments in legal or
public policy doctrines, technological developments and
other presently unknown or unforeseen factors.  Other risk
factors are detailed from time to time in NU's reports to
the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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