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|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | - | -------------- | -------------------------------- | ------- | - | -------- | - | -------- | - | -------- | - | ----------
|The Connecticut Light and Power Company                                                                                                                                                     |   |                |                                  |         |   |          |   |          |   |          |   | 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                                                                                                                                                                                  | $ | 48,412         | $                                | 216,316 | $ | 191,158  | $ | 133,564  | $ | 200,007  | $ | 94,845    
|Income tax expense/(benefit)                                                                                                                                                                |   | 43,493         |                                  | 118,847 |   | 77,852   |   | 52,353   |   | (43,961) |   | 32,174    
|Equity in (earnings)/losses of regional nuclear                                                                                                                                             |   |                |                                  |         |   |          |   |          |   |          |   |           
|generating companies                                                                                                                                                                        |   | (35)           |                                  | (282)   |   | (366)    |   | (1,901)  |   | 854      |   | (1,153)   
|Dividends received from regional equity investees                                                                                                                                           |   | -              |                                  | 1,520   |   | -        |   | 2,596    |   | 1,407    |   | 412       
|Fixed charges, as below                                                                                                                                                                     |   | 40,690         |                                  | 163,887 |   | 165,170  |   | 155,557  |   | 131,923  |   | 133,321   
|Less: Interest capitalized (including AFUDC)                                                                                                                                                |   | (696)          |                                  | (2,203) |   | (12,991) |   | (10,924) |   | (6,610)  |   | (6,719)   
|Total earnings, as defined                                                                                                                                                                  | $ | 131,864        | $                                | 498,085 | $ | 420,823  | $ | 331,245  | $ | 283,620  | $ | 252,880   
|                                                                                                                                                                                            |   |                |                                  |         |   |          |   |          |   |          |   |           
|Fixed charges, as defined:                                                                                                                                                                  |   |                |                                  |         |   |          |   |          |   |          |   |           
|Interest on long-term debt (a)                                                                                                                                                              | $ | 33,632         | $                                | 133,422 | $ | 104,954  | $ | 84,292   | $ | 64,873   | $ | 59,019    
|Interest on rate reduction bonds                                                                                                                                                            |   | 3,032          |                                  | 19,061  |   | 29,129   |   | 37,728   |   | 46,692   |   | 55,796    
|Other interest (b)                                                                                                                                                                          |   | 1,863          |                                  | 3,334   |   | 12,163   |   | 16,413   |   | 6,281    |   | 5,220     
|Rental interest factor                                                                                                                                                                      |   | 1,467          |                                  | 5,867   |   | 5,933    |   | 6,200    |   | 7,467    |   | 6,567     
|Interest capitalized (including AFUDC)                                                                                                                                                      |   | 696            |                                  | 2,203   |   | 12,991   |   | 10,924   |   | 6,610    |   | 6,719     
|Total fixed charges, as defined                                                                                                                                                             | $ | 40,690         | $                                | 163,887 | $ | 165,170  | $ | 155,557  | $ | 131,923  | $ | 133,321   
|                                                                                                                                                                                            |   |                |                                  |         |   |          |   |          |   |          |   |           
|                                                                                                                                                                                            |   |                |                                  |         |   |          |   |          |   |          |   |           
|Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges                                                                                                                                                          |   | 3.24           |                                  | 3.04    |   | 2.55     |   | 2.13     |   | 2.15     |   | 1.90      
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|(a)
Interest on long-term debt amounts include amortized premiums, discounts and capitalized expenses related to indebtedness.                                                              |   |                |                                 
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|(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.