FORM 5	UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549	OMB APPROVAL
|_| Check this box if no longer subject        to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5        obligations may continue.        See Instruction 1(b). |_| Form 3 Holdings Reported |_| Form 4 Transactions Reported	ANNUAL STATEMENT OF CHANGES BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940	OMB Number: 3235-0362 Expires: January 31, 2005 Estimated average burden hours per response. . .1.0

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person*         Forsgren                 John                  H.		2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol        NORTHEAST UTILITIES (NU)				6. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) X    Director*                              10% Owner X    Officer (give title below)          Other (specify below)                                   Vice Chairman, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer *Trustee
(Last)                        (First)                    (Middle)       c/o Northeast Utilities       107 Selden Street		3. I.R.S. Identification Number of Reporting Person, if an entity (voluntary)			4. Statement for Month/Year  12/2002
(Street) Berlin,                  CT                  06037					5. If Amendment, Date of Original (Month/Year)	7. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (check applicable line) X Form Filed by One Reporting Person     Form Filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)                    (State)                 (Zip)		Table I — Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1. Title of Security     (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction     Date     (Month/     Day/Year)	2A. Deemed       Execution       Date, if any       (Month/       Day/Year)	3. Transaction     Code     (Instr. 8)	4. Securities Acquired (A)     or Disposed of (D)     (Instr. 3, 4 & 5)			5. Amount of Securities     Beneficially Owned at     the end of Issuer's     Fiscal Year     (Instr. 3 & 4)	6. Ownership     Form:     Direct (D)     or     Indirect (I)     (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect      Beneficial Ownership      (Instr. 4)
				Amount	(A) or (D)	Price
Common Shares, $5 par value							1,027 shs See Note 1	I	By 401k Plan trustee
Common Shares, $5 par value							546 shs See Note 2	I	Deferred Comp Plan
Common Shares, $5 par value							7,217 shs	D

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).

FORM 5 (continued) Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts calls warrants options, convertible securities)

1. Title of     Derivative     Security     (Instr. 3)

2. Conver-     sion or     Exercise     Price of     Derivative     Security

3. Trans-     action     Date     (Month/     Day/     Year)

3A. Deemed       Execution       Date, if       any       (Month/       Day/       Year)

4. Trans-     action     Code     (Instr.     8)

5. Number of     Derivative     Securities     Acquired (A) or     Disposed of (D)     (Instr. 3, 4 & 5)

6. Date     Exercis-     able and     Expiration     Date     (Month/     Day/Year)

7. Title and     Amount of     Underlying     Securities     (Instr. 3 & 4)

8. Price of     Derivative     Security     (Instr. 5)

9. Number of     Derivative     Securities     Beneficially     Owned     at End     of Year     (Instr. 4)

10. Owner-     ship     Form of     Derivative     Security:     Direct (D)     or     Indirect (I)     (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of     Indirect     Beneficial     Ownership     (Instr. 4)

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Options to Purchase

234,319

D

Explanation of Responses:
Note 1. Shares held in trust under the Northeast Utilities Service Company 401k Plan, a qualified plan, as of December 31, 2002, according to information suppled by the plan's recordkeeper.
Note 2. Shares receipt of which has been deferred pursuant to the Northeast Utilities Deferred Compensation Plan for Executives, as of December 31, 2002, according to information supplied by the plan's recordkeeper.

/s/ John H. Forsgren
**Signature of Reporting Person February 13, 2003
Date

**Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations.
See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed.
          If space provided is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.