<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-07-01</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001046861</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ENERGY EAST CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>EAS</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001178410</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HOWARD G JEAN</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F4"/></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>J</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F4"/></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F4"/></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F4"/></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>2329.2219</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Phantom Shares</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F4"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-07-01</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>400.0000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F4"/></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F4"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>400.0000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>2050.608</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Includes equity securities acquired with reinvested dividends which are exempt from reporting under Rule 16a-11.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Phantom stock granted and dividend phantom stock credited to a participant's account under the Company's Director Share Plan may be settled in cash only after the participant ceases to serve as a director of the Company.</footnote><footnote id="F3"> Includes dividend phantom stock acquired pursuant to the dividend reinvestment feature included in the Company's Director Share Plan which is exempt from reporting under Rule 16a-11.</footnote><footnote id="F4">Data reported on a previous filing.  Information entered into this field as recommended in the SEC's &amp;quot;Section 16 Electronic Reporting Frequently Asked Questions&amp;quot; in order to have the filing accepted electronically.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>G. Jean Howard</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-07-01</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

