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|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | - | -------------- | - | -------------------------------- | - | -------- | - | -------- | - | -------- | - | ---------- | --- |  |  |  |  |  | 
|Northeast Utilities                                                                                                                                                                         |   |                |   |                                  |   |          |   |          |   |          |   | Exhibit 12
|Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges                                                                                                                                                          |   |                |   |                                  |   |          |   |          |   |          |   |            |    
|                                                                                                                                                                                            |   |                |   |                                  |   |          |   |          |   |          |   |            |    
|                                                                                                                                                                                            |   | Three Months   |   |                                  |   |          |   |          |   |          |   |            |    
|(Thousands of Dollars)                                                                                                                                                                      |   | Ended          |   |                                  |   |          |   |          |   |          |   |            |    
|                                                                                                                                                                                            |   | March 31, 2010 |   | For the Years Ended December 31, |  
|                                                                                                                                                                                            |   | (unaudited)    |   | 2009                             |   | 2008     |   | 2007     |   | 2006     |   | 2005       |    
|Earnings, as defined:                                                                                                                                                                       |   |                |   |                                  |   |          |   |          |   |          |   |            |    
|Net income/(loss) from continuing operations                                                                                                                                                |   |                |   |                                  |   |          |   |          |   |          |   |            |    
|before cumulative effect of accounting change                                                                                                                                               | $ | 87,601         | $ | 335,592                          | $ | 266,387  | $ | 251,455  | $ | 138,495  | $ | (251,344)  |    
|Income tax expense/(benefit)                                                                                                                                                                |   | 79,857         |   | 179,947                          |   | 105,661  |   | 109,420  |   | (76,326) |   | (184,862)  |    
|Equity in earnings of regional nuclear                                                                                                                                                      |   |                |   |                                  |   |          |   |          |   |          |   |            |    
|generating and transmission companies                                                                                                                                                       |   | (290)          |   | (1,762)                          |   | (1,637)  |   | (3,983)  |   | (334)    |   | (3,311)    |    
|Dividends received from regional equity                                                                                                                                                     |   |                |   |                                  |   |          |   |          |   |          |   |            |    
|investees                                                                                                                                                                                   |   | 35             |   | 3,794                            |   | 1,017    |   | 4,542    |   | 2,145    |   | 687        |    
|Fixed charges, as below                                                                                                                                                                     |   | 73,453         |   | 296,764                          |   | 304,374  |   | 275,611  |   | 267,243  |   | 265,046    |    
|Less: Interest capitalized (including AFUDC)                                                                                                                                                |   | (1,892)        |   | (5,929)                          |   | (17,797) |   | (17,568) |   | (14,482) |   | (10,463)   |    
|Preferred dividend security requirements of                                                                                                                                                 |   |                |   |                                  |   |          |   |          |   |          |   |            |    
|consolidated subsidiaries                                                                                                                                                                   |   | (2,316)        |   | (9,265)                          |   | (9,265)  |   | (9,265)  |   | (9,265)  |   | (9,265)    |    
|Total earnings/(loss), as defined                                                                                                                                                           | $ | 236,448        | $ | 799,141                          | $ | 648,740  | $ | 610,212  | $ | 307,476  | $ | (193,512)  |    
|                                                                                                                                                                                            |   |                |   |                                  |   |          |   |          |   |          |   |            |    
|Fixed charges, as defined:                                                                                                                                                                  |   |                |   |                                  |   |          |   |          |   |          |   |            |    
|Interest on long-term debt (a)                                                                                                                                                              | $ | 57,270         | $ | 224,712                          | $ | 193,883  | $ | 162,841  | $ | 141,579  | $ | 131,870    |    
|Interest on rate reduction bonds                                                                                                                                                            |   | 6,690          |   | 36,524                           |   | 50,231   |   | 61,580   |   | 74,242   |   | 87,439     |    
|Other interest (b)                                                                                                                                                                          |   | 3,302          |   | 12,401                           |   | 25,031   |   | 15,824   |   | 22,375   |   | 19,276     |    
|Rental interest factor                                                                                                                                                                      |   | 1,983          |   | 7,933                            |   | 8,167    |   | 8,533    |   | 5,300    |   | 6,733      |    
|Preferred dividend security requirements of                                                                                                                                                 |   |                |   |                                  |   |          |   |          |   |          |   |            |    
|consolidated subsidiaries                                                                                                                                                                   |   | 2,316          |   | 9,265                            |   | 9,265    |   | 9,265    |   | 9,265    |   | 9,265      |    
|Interest capitalized (including AFUDC)                                                                                                                                                      |   | 1,892          |   | 5,929                            |   | 17,797   |   | 17,568   |   | 14,482   |   | 10,463     |    
|Total fixed charges, as defined                                                                                                                                                             | $ | 73,453         | $ | 296,764                          | $ | 304,374  | $ | 275,611  | $ | 267,243  | $ | 265,046    |    
|                                                                                                                                                                                            |   |                |   |                                  |   |          |   |          |   |          |   |            |    
|Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges                                                                                                                                                          |   | 3.22           |   | 2.69                             |   | 2.13     |   | 2.21     |   | 1.15     |   | (0.73)     | (c)
|                                                                                                                                                                                            |   |                |   |                                  |   |          |   |          |   |          |   |            |    
|                                                                                                                                                                                            |   |                |   |                                  |   |          |   |          |   |          |   |            |    
|(a)
Interest on long-term debt amounts include amortized premiums, discounts and capitalized expenses related to indebtedness.                                                              |   |                |  
|                                                                                                                                                                                            |   |                |   |                                  |   |          |   |          |   |          |   |            |    
|(b)
For the three months ended March 31, 2010 and for the years ended December 31, 2009, 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.                                                                    |   |                |   |