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DEFINED CONTRIBUTION PLANS
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012
Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements [Abstract]  
Compensation and Employee Benefit Plans [Text Block]

B.       Defined Contribution Plans

NU maintains two defined contribution plans on behalf of eligible participants. The NUSCO 401(k) Savings Plan covers eligible employees, including CL&P, PSNH, WMECO, and effective October 1, 2012, certain newly-hired NSTAR Electric & Gas employees. The NSTAR 401(k) Savings Plan covers eligible employees of NSTAR Electric & Gas. These defined contribution plans provide for employee and employer contributions up to statutory limits.

The NUSCO 401(k) Savings Plan matches employee contributions up to a maximum of three percent of eligible compensation with one percent invested in cash and two percent invested in the NU common share fund. The NUSCO 401(k) Savings Plan also contains a K-Vantage feature (company contribution based on age and years of service), which covers the majority of NU non-represented employees hired on or after January 1, 2006 and certain NU bargaining unit employees, hired on or after January 1, 2007 or as subject to collective bargaining agreements. In addition, all newly hired non-represented NSTAR Electric & Gas employees and certain represented NSTAR Electric & Gas employees are eligible to participate in the K-Vantage program effective October 1, 2012 and November 1, 2012, respectively. Participants in the K-Vantage program are not eligible to actively participate in any NU defined benefit plan.

The NSTAR 401(k) Savings Plan matches employee contributions of 50 percent on up to the first 8 percent of eligible compensation. All employer contributions are invested in the NU common share fund.

The total defined contribution plan matching contributions, including the K-Vantage program contributions, are as follows:

       NSTAR      
(Millions of Dollars)NU CL&P Electric(1) PSNH WMECO
2012$25.7 $4.8 $9.0 $3.3 $0.9
2011  17.4  4.5  8.7  3.1  0.9
2010  16.1  4.4  8.1  2.8  0.9

  • NSTAR Electric amounts are included in NU consolidated from the date of the merger, April 10, 2012, through December 31, 2012. NSTAR Electric amounts are not included in NU consolidated for the years ended December 31, 2011 and 2010.