|                                                                                                                                                                                         |   |                    |   |                                  |   |          |   |          |   |           |     |           
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | - | ------------------ | - | -------------------------------- | - | -------- | - | -------- | - | --------- | --- | ----------
|Northeast Utilities                                                                                                                                                                      |   |                    |   |                                  |   |          |   |          |   |           |     | Exhibit 12
|Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges                                                                                                                                                       |   |                    |   |                                  |   |          |   |          |   |           |     |           
|                                                                                                                                                                                         |   |                    |   |                                  |   |          |   |          |   |           |     |           
|                                                                                                                                                                                         |   | Nine Months        |   |                                  |   |          |   |          |   |           |     |           
|(Thousands of Dollars)                                                                                                                                                                   |   | Ended              |   |                                  |   |          |   |          |   |           |     |           
|                                                                                                                                                                                         |   | September 30, 2009 |   | For the Years Ended December 31,
|                                                                                                                                                                                         |   | (unaudited)        |   | 2008                             |   | 2007     |   | 2006     |   | 2005      |     | 2004      
|Earnings, as defined:                                                                                                                                                                    |   |                    |   |                                  |   |          |   |          |   |           |     |           
|Net income/(loss) from continuing operations                                                                                                                                             |   |                    |   |                                  |   |          |   |          |   |           |     |           
|before cumulative effect of accounting change                                                                                                                                            | $ | 249,485            | $ | 266,387                          | $ | 251,455  | $ | 138,495  | $ | (251,344) | $   | 75,982    
|Income tax expense/(benefit)                                                                                                                                                             |   | 130,047            |   | 105,661                          |   | 109,420  |   | (76,326) |   | (184,862) |     | 22,388    
|Equity in earnings of regional nuclear                                                                                                                                                   |   |                    |   |                                  |   |          |   |          |   |           |     |           
|generating and transmission companies                                                                                                                                                    |   | (1,383)            |   | (1,637)                          |   | (3,983)  |   | (334)    |   | (3,311)   |     | (2,592)   
|Dividends received from regional equity                                                                                                                                                  |   |                    |   |                                  |   |          |   |          |   |           |     |           
|investees                                                                                                                                                                                |   | 3,384              |   | 1,017                            |   | 4,542    |   | 2,145    |   | 687       |     | 3,879     
|Fixed charges, as below                                                                                                                                                                  |   | 223,352            |   | 304,374                          |   | 275,611  |   | 267,243  |   | 265,046   |     | 235,699   
|Less: Interest capitalized (including AFUDC)                                                                                                                                             |   | (4,708)            |   | (17,797)                         |   | (17,568) |   | (14,482) |   | (10,463)  |     | (4,517)   
|Preferred dividend security requirements of                                                                                                                                              |   |                    |   |                                  |   |          |   |          |   |           |     |           
|consolidated subsidiaries                                                                                                                                                                |   | (6,949)            |   | (9,265)                          |   | (9,265)  |   | (9,265)  |   | (9,265)   |     | (9,265)   
|Total earnings/(loss), as defined                                                                                                                                                        | $ | 593,228            | $ | 648,740                          | $ | 610,212  | $ | 307,476  | $ | (193,512) | $   | 321,574   
|                                                                                                                                                                                         |   |                    |   |                                  |   |          |   |          |   |           |     |           
|Fixed charges, as defined:                                                                                                                                                               |   |                    |   |                                  |   |          |   |          |   |           |     |           
|Interest on long-term debt (a)                                                                                                                                                           | $ | 168,191            | $ | 193,883                          | $ | 162,841  | $ | 141,579  | $ | 131,870   | $   | 107,365   
|Interest on rate reduction bonds                                                                                                                                                         |   | 28,889             |   | 50,231                           |   | 61,580   |   | 74,242   |   | 87,439    |     | 98,899    
|Other interest (b)                                                                                                                                                                       |   | 8,490              |   | 25,031                           |   | 15,824   |   | 22,375   |   | 19,276    |     | 8,586     
|Rental interest factor                                                                                                                                                                   |   | 6,125              |   | 8,167                            |   | 8,533    |   | 5,300    |   | 6,733     |     | 7,067     
|Preferred dividend security requirements of                                                                                                                                              |   |                    |   |                                  |   |          |   |          |   |           |     |           
|consolidated subsidiaries                                                                                                                                                                |   | 6,949              |   | 9,265                            |   | 9,265    |   | 9,265    |   | 9,265     |     | 9,265     
|Interest capitalized (including AFUDC)                                                                                                                                                   |   | 4,708              |   | 17,797                           |   | 17,568   |   | 14,482   |   | 10,463    |     | 4,517     
|Total fixed charges, as defined                                                                                                                                                          | $ | 223,352            | $ | 304,374                          | $ | 275,611  | $ | 267,243  | $ | 265,046   | $   | 235,699   
|                                                                                                                                                                                         |   |                    |   |                                  |   |          |   |          |   |           |     |           
|Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges                                                                                                                                                       |   | 2.66               |   | 2.13                             |   | 2.21     |   | 1.15     |   | (0.73)    | (c) | 1.36      
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|(a)
Interest on long-term debt amounts include amortized premiums, discounts and capitalized expenses related to indebtedness.                                                          
|                                                                                                                                                                                         |   |                    |   |                                  |   |          |   |          |   |           |     |           
|(b)
For the nine months ended September 30, 2009 and for the years ended December 31, 2008 and 2007, other interest includes interest related to accounting for uncertain tax positions.
|                                                                                                                                                                                         |   |                    |   |                                  |   |          |   |          |   |           |     |           
|(c)
Consolidated earnings were inadequate to cover fixed charges by $458.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2005.