SHORT TERM DEBT	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements [Abstract]
Short Term Debt Text Block	7. SHORT-TERM DEBT Short-Term Borrowing Limits: The amount of short-term borrowings that may be incurred by CL&P, NSTAR Electric and WMECO is subject to periodic approval by the FERC. As a result of the NHPUC having jurisdiction over PSNH's short-term debt, PSNH is not currently required to obtain FERC approval for its short-term borrowings. On July 31, 2013, the FERC granted authorization to allow CL&P and WMECO to incur total short-term borrowings up to a maximum of $600 million and $300 million, respectively, effective January 1, 2014 through December 31, 2015. On June 11, 2014, the FERC granted authorization to allow NSTAR Electric to issue total short-term debt securities in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $655 million outstanding at any one time, effective October 24, 2014 through October 23, 2016. PSNH is authorized by regulation of the NHPUC to incur short-term borrowings up to 10 percent of net fixed plant plus an additional $60 million until further ordered by the NHPUC. As of December 31, 2014, PSNH's short-term debt authorization under the 10 percent of net fixed plant test plus $60 million totaled approximately $306 million. CL&P's certificate of incorporation contains preferred stock provisions restricting the amount of unsecured debt that CL&P may incur, including limiting unsecured indebtedness with a maturity of less than 10 years to 10 percent of total capitalization. As of December 31, 2014, CL&P had $432.1 million of unsecured debt capacity available under this authorization. Yankee Gas and NSTAR Gas are not required to obtain approval from any state or federal authority to incur short-term debt. Credit Agreements and Commercial Paper Programs: NU parent, CL&P, PSNH, WMECO, NSTAR Gas and Yankee Gas are parties to a five-year $1.45 billion revolving credit facility. The revolving credit facility is to be used primarily to backstop NU parent's $1.45 billion commercial paper program. The commercial paper program allows NU parent to issue commercial paper as a form of short-term debt. Effective July 23, 2014, NU parent, CL&P, PSNH, WMECO, NSTAR Gas and Yankee Gas extended the expiration date of their joint revolving credit facility for one additional year to September 6, 2019. CL&P has a borrowing sublimit of $600 million and PSNH and WMECO each have borrowing sublimits of $300 million. As of December 31, 2014 and 2013, NU had approximately $1.1 billion and $1.01 billion, respectively, in short-term borrowings outstanding under the NU parent commercial paper program, leaving $348.9 million and $435.5 million of available borrowing capacity as of December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. The weighted-average interest rate on these borrowings as of December 31, 2014 and 2013 was 0.43 percent and 0.24 percent, respectively, which is generally based on A2/P2 rated commercial paper. As of December 31, 2014, there were intercompany loans from NU of $133.4 million to CL&P, $90.5 million to PSNH and $21.4 million to WMECO. As of December 31, 2013, there were intercompany loans from NU of $287.3 million to CL&P and $86.5 million to PSNH. NSTAR Electric has a five-year $450 million revolving credit facility. This facility serves to backstop NSTAR Electric's existing $450 million commercial paper program. Effective July 23, 2014, NSTAR Electric extended the expiration date of its revolving credit facility for one additional year to September 6, 2019. As of December 31, 2014 and 2013, NSTAR Electric had $302 million and $103.5 million, respectively, in short-term borrowings outstanding under its commercial paper program, leaving $148 million and $346.5 million of available borrowing capacity as of December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. The weighted-average interest rate on these borrowings as of December 31, 2014 and 2013 was 0.27 percent and 0.13 percent, respectively, which is generally based on A2/P1 rated commercial paper. Except as described below, amounts outstanding under the commercial paper programs are included in Notes Payable for NU and NSTAR Electric and classified in current liabilities on the balance sheets as all borrowings are outstanding for no more than 364 days at one time. Intercompany loans from NU to CL&P, PSNH and WMECO are included in Notes Payable to NU Parent and classified in current liabilities on the balance sheets. Intercompany loans from NU to CL&P, PSNH and WMECO are eliminated in consolidation in NU's balance sheets. On January 15, 2015, NU parent issued $150 million of 1.60 percent Series G Senior Notes due to mature in 2018 and $300 million of 3.15 percent Series H Senior Notes, due to mature in 2025. The proceeds, net of issuance costs, were used to repay short-term borrowings outstanding under the NU commercial paper program. As the debt issuances refinanced short-term debt, the short-term debt was classified as Long-Term Debt as of December 31, 2014. On January 2, 2014, Yankee Gas issued $100 million of Series L First Mortgage Bonds and $25 million of the proceeds was used to repay short-term borrowings outstanding under the NU commercial paper program. As the debt issuance refinanced short-term debt, these amounts were classified as Long-Term Debt on NU's balance sheet as of December 31, 2013. See Note 8, "Long-Term Debt" for further information on these debt issuances. Under the credit facilities, NU and its subsidiaries must comply with certain financial and non-financial covenants, including a consolidated debt to total capitalization ratio. As of December 31, 2014 and 2013, NU and its subsidiaries were in compliance with these covenants. If NU or its subsidiaries were not in compliance with these covenants, an event of default would occur requiring all outstanding borrowings by such borrower to be repaid and additional borrowings by such borrower would not be permitted under its respective credit facility.

SHORT TERM DEBT

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2014

Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements [Abstract]

7. SHORT-TERM DEBT

Short-Term Borrowing Limits: The amount of short-term borrowings that may be incurred by CL&P, NSTAR Electric and WMECO is subject to periodic approval by the FERC. As a result of the NHPUC having jurisdiction over PSNH's short-term debt, PSNH is not currently required to obtain FERC approval for its short-term borrowings. On July 31, 2013, the FERC granted authorization to allow CL&P and WMECO to incur total short-term borrowings up to a maximum of $600 million and $300 million, respectively, effective January 1, 2014 through December 31, 2015. On June 11, 2014, the FERC granted authorization to allow NSTAR Electric to issue total short-term debt securities in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $655 million outstanding at any one time, effective October 24, 2014 through October 23, 2016.

PSNH is authorized by regulation of the NHPUC to incur short-term borrowings up to 10 percent of net fixed plant plus an additional $60 million until further ordered by the NHPUC. As of December 31, 2014, PSNH's short-term debt authorization under the 10 percent of net fixed plant test plus $60 million totaled approximately $306 million.

CL&P's certificate of incorporation contains preferred stock provisions restricting the amount of unsecured debt that CL&P may incur, including limiting unsecured indebtedness with a maturity of less than 10 years to 10 percent of total capitalization. As of December 31, 2014, CL&P had $432.1 million of unsecured debt capacity available under this authorization.

Yankee Gas and NSTAR Gas are not required to obtain approval from any state or federal authority to incur short-term debt.

Credit Agreements and Commercial Paper Programs: NU parent, CL&P, PSNH, WMECO, NSTAR Gas and Yankee Gas are parties to a five-year $1.45 billion revolving credit facility. The revolving credit facility is to be used primarily to backstop NU parent's $1.45 billion commercial paper program. The commercial paper program allows NU parent to issue commercial paper as a form of short-term debt. Effective July 23, 2014, NU parent, CL&P, PSNH, WMECO, NSTAR Gas and Yankee Gas extended the expiration date of their joint revolving credit facility for one additional year to September 6, 2019. CL&P has a borrowing sublimit of $600 million and PSNH and WMECO each have borrowing sublimits of $300 million. As of December 31, 2014 and 2013, NU had approximately $1.1 billion and $1.01 billion, respectively, in short-term borrowings outstanding under the NU parent commercial paper program, leaving $348.9 million and $435.5 million of available borrowing capacity as of December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. The weighted-average interest rate on these borrowings as of December 31, 2014 and 2013 was 0.43 percent and 0.24 percent, respectively, which is generally based on A2/P2 rated commercial paper. As of December 31, 2014, there were intercompany loans from NU of $133.4 million to CL&P, $90.5 million to PSNH and $21.4 million to WMECO. As of December 31, 2013, there were intercompany loans from NU of $287.3 million to CL&P and $86.5 million to PSNH.

NSTAR Electric has a five-year $450 million revolving credit facility. This facility serves to backstop NSTAR Electric's existing $450 million commercial paper program. Effective July 23, 2014, NSTAR Electric extended the expiration date of its revolving credit facility for one additional year to September 6, 2019. As of December 31, 2014 and 2013, NSTAR Electric had $302 million and $103.5 million, respectively, in short-term borrowings outstanding under its commercial paper program, leaving $148 million and $346.5 million of available borrowing capacity as of December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. The weighted-average interest rate on these borrowings as of December 31, 2014 and 2013 was 0.27 percent and 0.13 percent, respectively, which is generally based on A2/P1 rated commercial paper.

Except as described below, amounts outstanding under the commercial paper programs are included in Notes Payable for NU and NSTAR Electric and classified in current liabilities on the balance sheets as all borrowings are outstanding for no more than 364 days at one time. Intercompany loans from NU to CL&P, PSNH and WMECO are included in Notes Payable to NU Parent and classified in current liabilities on the balance sheets. Intercompany loans from NU to CL&P, PSNH and WMECO are eliminated in consolidation in NU's balance sheets.

On January 15, 2015, NU parent issued $150 million of 1.60 percent Series G Senior Notes due to mature in 2018 and $300 million of 3.15 percent Series H Senior Notes, due to mature in 2025. The proceeds, net of issuance costs, were used to repay short-term borrowings outstanding under the NU commercial paper program. As the debt issuances refinanced short-term debt, the short-term debt was classified as Long-Term Debt as of December 31, 2014. On January 2, 2014, Yankee Gas issued $100 million of Series L First Mortgage Bonds and $25 million of the proceeds was used to repay short-term borrowings outstanding under the NU commercial paper program. As the debt issuance refinanced short-term debt, these amounts were classified as Long-Term Debt on NU's balance sheet as of December 31, 2013. See Note 8, "Long-Term Debt" for further information on these debt issuances.

Under the credit facilities, NU and its subsidiaries must comply with certain financial and non-financial covenants, including a consolidated debt to total capitalization ratio. As of December 31, 2014 and 2013, NU and its subsidiaries were in compliance with these covenants. If NU or its subsidiaries were not in compliance with these covenants, an event of default would occur requiring all outstanding borrowings by such borrower to be repaid and additional borrowings by such borrower would not be permitted under its respective credit facility.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for short-term debt.

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