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

OMB APPROVAL OMB Number: 3235-0287 Expires: January 31, 2005 Estimated average burden hours per response... 0.5

(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * JUDGE JAMES J   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) EVP & CFO (Last) (First) (Middle) C/O NORTHEAST UTILITIES, ONE FEDERAL STREET, BUILDING 111-4 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 10/17/2012 (Street) SPRINGFIELD, MA 01105 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, $5.00 par value 10/17/2012   M   52,480 A $ 28.12 241,540 D   Common Shares, $5.00 par value 10/17/2012   M   39,360 A $ 24.74 280,900 D   Common Shares, $5.00 par value 10/17/2012   M   48,544 A $ 25.93 329,444 D   Common Shares, $5.00 par value 10/17/2012   M   39,360 A $ 26.9 368,804 D   Common Shares, $5.00 par value 10/17/2012   S(1)   179,744 D $ 39.5 189,060 D   Common Shares, $5.00 par value 10/17/2012   M   34,581 A $ 39.49 223,641 D   Common Shares, $5.00 par value 10/17/2012   D(2)   34,581 D $ 39.49 189,060 D   Common Shares, $5.00 par value               20,927 I 401k Plan

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
	Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB control number.		SEC 1474 (9-02)

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)

$ 28.12

10/17/2012

M

52,480

05/03/2010

05/03/2017

Common Shares, $5.00 par value

52,480

$ 0

0

D

Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)

$ 24.74

10/17/2012

M

39,360

01/24/2011

01/24/2018

Common Shares, $5.00 par value

39,360

$ 0

0

D

Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)

$ 25.93

10/17/2012

M

48,544

01/22/2012

01/22/2019

Common Shares, $5.00 par value

48,544

$ 0

0

D

Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)

$ 26.9

10/17/2012

M

39,360

04/10/2012

01/28/2020

Common Shares, $5.00 par value

39,360

$ 0

0

D

Phantom Shares

(3)

10/17/2012

M

34,581

(3)

(3)

Common Shares, $5.00 par value

34,581

$ 0

73,884

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
JUDGE JAMES J C/O NORTHEAST UTILITIES ONE FEDERAL STREET, BUILDING 111-4 SPRINGFIELD, MA 01105			EVP & CFO

Signatures

Samuel K. Lee, attorney-in-fact for Mr. Judge		10/19/2012
**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)	This sale was effected pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan adopted by the reporting person on September 4, 2012.
(2)	The disposition of 34,581 Common Shares, which shares were held in the reporting person's accounts at State Street Bank and Trust Company pursuant to the terms of the NSTAR Deferred Compensation Plan, was effected pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan adopted by the reporting person on September 4, 2012.
(3)	Phantom shares held in the NSTAR Deferred Compensation Plan. Each phantom share represents the right to receive the cash value of one Common Share upon a distribution event, following vesting. Additional phantom shares are issued upon the automatic reinvestment of dividend-equivalents exempt from the line item reporting under SEC Rule 16a-11.

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.

Potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB number.