Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

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
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
McHale David R
   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
NORTHEAST UTILITIES [NU] 		5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Sr. Vice Pres. & CFO
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
NORTHEAST UTILITIES, 107 SELDEN STREET		 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
05/09/2006
(Street)

BERLIN, CT 06037		 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
 6. 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 and 5)		 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Shares, $5 par value               3,972 I By 401(k) Plan Trustee (1)
Common Shares, $5 par value 05/09/2006   M   3,001 A $ 18.4375 30,278 (2) D  
Common Shares, $5 par value 05/09/2006   M   8,000 A $ 18.58 38,278 D  
Common Shares, $5 par value 05/09/2006   S   11,001 (3) D $ 20.05 27,277 D  
Common Shares, $5 par value 05/09/2006   S   3,500 D $ 20.05 23,777 (4) D  

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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. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)		 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)		 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)		 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Employee Stock Option (right to buy) $ 18.4375 05/09/2006   M     3,001   (2) 02/22/2010 Common Shares 3,001 $ 0 15,500 D  
Employee Stock Option (right to buy) $ 18.58 05/09/2006   M     8,000   (2) 02/25/2012 Common Shares 8,000 $ 0 7,500 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
McHale David R
NORTHEAST UTILITIES
107 SELDEN STREET
BERLIN, CT 06037		       Sr. Vice Pres. & CFO  

Signatures

 /s/ David R. McHale   05/11/2006
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Shares held in trust under the Northeast Utilities Service Company 401k Plan, a qualified plan, as of May 9, 2006, according to information supplied by the plan's recordkeeper.
(2) The options exercised to purchase 3,001 Common Shares vested in one-third increments on February 22, 2001, 2002 and 2003. The options to purchase 8,000 Common Shares vested in one-third increments on February 25, 2003, 2004 and 2005.
(3) Sale in connection with cashless exercise of employee stock options.
(4) Includes restricted shares and restriced share units (including reinvested dividends); in addition, the reporting person also directly holds 7,500 stock options to purchase common shares previously reported on Form 3.

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