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 14, 2004
                        -------------------
                   Commission File Number 1-5324
                              ------

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

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

          ONE FEDERAL STREET, BUILDING 111-4, SPRINGFIELD
   MASSACHUSETTS                                           01105
 -----------------------------------------------------------------
       (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)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K 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 7   -  Regulation FD

New President at NU Enterprises, Inc.

     On October 20, 2004,  Northeast Utilities ("NU")
announced that Lawrence E. De Simone will be joining the
company as president of Northeast Utilities Enterprises,
Inc. (NUEI), a subsidiary of NU.

Yankee Gas Services Company Developments

     On October 14, 2004, Yankee Gas Services Company
("Yankee Gas"), the Office of the Consumer Counsel ("OCC")
and the Prosecutorial Division of the Connecticut Department
of Public Utility Control ("DPUC") filed a joint settlement
with the DPUC to resolve a rate case Yankee Gas filed on
July 2, 2004.  The settlement would allow an annual increase
of $14 million,  or 4.1 percent, in Yankee Gas's rates
effective January 1, 2005.  The authorized return on equity
(ROE) for Yankee Gas would be 9.9 percent with Yankee Gas
sharing with customers 50 percent of the earnings above that
level.  Yankee Gas had originally requested an increase of
$26.5 million annually and an ROE of 10.75 percent.  The
settlement is subject to DPUC approval and a hearing is
scheduled before the DPUC on October 28, 2004.


     On October 18, 2004, Yankee Gas announced that it had
awarded a contract to a subsidiary of Chicago Bridge & Iron
Company, N.V. to design and build a 1.2 billion cubic foot
liquefied natural gas peak shaving facility in Waterbury,
Connecticut.  The contract award follows DPUC approval of
the project on September 3, 2004.  The facility will provide
natural gas service during peak demand periods to Yankee
Gas's residential, commercial and industrial customers.
With construction starting this fall, the facility is
expected to be completed and ready for use during the
2007/2008 heating season.  The total project cost is
estimated to cost approximately $100 million.

     The information contained in this report on Form 8-K,
including Exhibits 99.1 and 99.2, shall not be deemed
"filed" with the Securities and Exchange Commission nor
incorporated by reference in any registration statement
filed by Northeast Utilities under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, unless specified otherwise.


SECTION 9 - FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

Item 9.01   Financial Statements and Exhibits

            (c)  Exhibits

                 Exhibit        Description

                 Exhibit 99.1   Northeast Utilities News Release
                                dated October 20, 2004, concerning
                                Lawrence E. De Simone.


                     [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:  Assistant Treasurer - Finance

Date:  October 21, 2004

EX-99

Exhibit 99.1

News Release

CONTACT:       Deborah L. Beauchamp
OFFICE:        (860) 665-5423

               NU ANNOUNCES NEW PRESIDENT OF NUEI

BERLIN, Connecticut, October 20, 2004-Northeast Utilities (NYSE:
NU) today announced that Lawrence E. De Simone will be joining
the company as president of Northeast Utilities Enterprises, Inc.
(NUEI), a subsidiary of Northeast Utilities.  He will report to
Charles W. Shivery, chairman, president and chief executive
officer of Northeast Utilities, effective October 25, 2004.  De
Simone comes to NU from PPL Corporation, Allentown, Pennsylvania,
where he served in various executive positions, most recently as
executive vice president.

"Larry brings to our company a uniquely strong background in the
energy industry," said Shivery.  "His extensive knowledge in both
the competitive and regulated arenas, coupled with broad
geographic, technical and functional experience will enable him
to effectively lead our competitive businesses."

De Simone, 57, joined PPL Corporation in 1998 as president of PPL
EnergyPlus; in 2001 he was promoted to executive vice president,
supply; in 2004 he became executive vice president, regulated
business and services.  Prior to PPL, from 1996 to 1998 he served
as senior vice president, energy services for Virginia Power
Company, Richmond, Virginia.  From 1992 to 1996 he served as vice
president, strategic planning at Central & SouthWest Corporation,
Dallas, Texas.  Prior to that, he was a partner with Scott,
Madden and Associates in Atlanta, Georgia.  De Simone's
background includes senior positions in development, planning,
regulatory and marketing at Energy Management Associates, San
Diego Gas & Electric Company and Pacific Gas and Electric
Company.

De Simone received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from
Claremont McKenna College in Claremont, California, and his Ph.D.
in Business Administration from the University of California,
Berkeley, California.

Northeast Utilities is a Fortune 500 diversified energy company
located in Connecticut with operations throughout the Northeast.
Through its competitive and regulated subsidiaries, NU provides
Energy for a Changing World with a full range of energy-related
products and services to millions of residential and business
customers from Maine to Maryland.  From delivering electricity
and natural gas, to marketing energy products, to operating and
maintaining power plant facilities, NU is committed to safety,
reliability and expanding consumers' energy options.  For more
information on Northeast Utilities and its subsidiaries, visit
the NU family of Web sites at www.nu.com.


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