Filed by Consolidated Edison, Inc.
                           Pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act of 1933
                                 Subject Company: Consolidated Edison, Inc. (DE)
                                                   Commission File No. 333-31390



The following message,  beginning on March 27, 2000, will be recorded on The Con
Edison/NU Merger Information Line at 1-800-558-5947

#800 Update for the week of 3/27: The Con Edison/NU special shareholder meetings
will take place in New York and Connecticut in three weeks, on Friday, April 14.
In reading the joint merger proxy  statement you may have  questioned  what "New
Con Edison" refers to. New Con Edison is the defined term in the proxy statement
for the company which will own Northeast  Utilities after the merger.  "Old" Con
Edison is the present  Consolidated  Edison, Inc. "New Con Edison's" actual name
is also  "Consolidated  Edison,  Inc."  Next,  you may be  curious as to why Con
Edison and NU  retained  Morrow and Company to assist in  solicitation  of proxy
votes.  It's a very common  practice to have an outside company manage the proxy
solicitation  process.  Without Morrow's help, Con Edison and NU would be unable
to do all the work  necessary  to cover the 300,000  plus  shareholders  of both
companies and ensure a good turnout for the  meetings.  Please note: NU employee
shareholders have until April 5 to mail their proxy card(s)  representing shares
held in their 401k plan, ESOP,  TRAESOP/PAYSOP  accounts. For those shares to be
represented,  your proxy  card(s)  must be  received by Fidelity by April 7. For
more information, please contact NU Shareholder Services at 1-800-558-5947.