Exhibit 12A
                                                                    Page 1 of 2


                       GPU, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES
      STATEMENTS SHOWING COMPUTATION OF RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
                 AND RATIO OF EARNINGS TO COMBINED FIXED CHARGES
       AND PREFERRED STOCK DIVIDENDS BASED ON SEC REGULATION S-K, ITEM 503
                                 (In Thousands)
                                    UNAUDITED
      --------------------------------------------------------------------

                                                       Six Months Ended
                                                  -----------------------------
                                                    June 30,         June 30,
                                                      1999             1998
                                                  ------------     ------------


OPERATING REVENUES                                 $1,971,462       $2,058,196
                                                    ---------        ---------

OPERATING EXPENSES                                  1,540,802        1,582,940
  Interest portion of rentals (A)                      16,954           13,956
  Fixed charges of service company
    subsidiaries (B)                                    2,529            1,325
                                                    ---------        ---------
      Net expense                                   1,521,319        1,567,659
                                                    ---------        ---------

OTHER INCOME AND DEDUCTIONS:
  Allowance for funds used
    during construction                                 1,809            2,896
  Equity in undistributed earnings
    of affiliates, net                                 76,499           30,844
  Other income, net                                    68,234           40,912
  Minority interest net income                         (2,348)            (749)
                                                    ---------         --------
      Total other income and deductions               144,194           73,903
                                                    ---------         --------

EARNINGS AVAILABLE FOR FIXED CHARGES
  AND PREFERRED STOCK DIVIDENDS (excluding
  taxes based on income)                           $  594,337       $  564,440
                                                    =========        =========

FIXED CHARGES:
  Interest on funded indebtedness                  $  159,431       $  162,614
  Other interest (C)                                   29,392           32,932
  Preferred stock dividends of
    subsidiaries on a pretax basis (E)                 10,007            9,521
  Interest portion of rentals (A)                      16,954           13,956
                                                    ---------        ---------
      Total fixed charges                          $  215,784       $  219,023
                                                    =========        =========

RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES                       2.75             2.58
                                                         ====             ====

RATIO OF EARNINGS TO COMBINED FIXED CHARGES
  AND PREFERRED STOCK DIVIDENDS (D)                      2.75             2.58
                                                         ====             ====


<PAGE>


                                                                    Exhibit 12A
                                                                    Page 2 of 2


                       GPU, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES
      STATEMENTS SHOWING COMPUTATION OF RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
                 AND RATIO OF EARNINGS TO COMBINED FIXED CHARGES
       AND PREFERRED STOCK DIVIDENDS BASED ON SEC REGULATION S-K, ITEM 503
                                 (In Thousands)
      ---------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   UNAUDITED


----------------------

NOTES:

(A)   GPU has included  the  equivalent  of the interest  portion of all rentals
      charged to income as fixed  charges for this  statement  and has  excluded
      such components from Operating Expenses.

(B)   Represents fixed charges of GPU Service,  Inc. and GPU Nuclear, Inc. which
      are  accounted  for as  operating  expenses in GPU's  consolidated  income
      statement.  GPU has removed the fixed charges from operating  expenses and
      included such amounts in fixed charges as interest on funded  indebtedness
      and other interest for this statement.

(C)   Includes amount for subsidiary-obligated  mandatorily redeemable preferred
      securities  of $14,444 for the six month  periods  ended June 30, 1999 and
      1998,  respectively,  and amount for trust preferred  securities of $1,000
      for the six month period ended June 30, 1999.

(D)   GPU, Inc., the parent holding  company,  does not have any preferred stock
      outstanding,  therefore,  the ratio of earnings to combined  fixed charges
      and  preferred  stock  dividends  is the same as the ratio of  earnings to
      fixed charges.

(E)   Calculation of preferred stock dividends of subsidiaries on a pretax basis
      is as follows:

                                                       Six Months Ended
                                                  ------------------------------
                                                   June 30,            June 30,
                                                     1999                1998
                                                  ---------           ---------

Income before provision for income taxes and
 preferred stock dividends of subsidiaries         $388,560          $354,938

Income before extraordinary item in 1998 and
 preferred stock dividends of subsidiaries          244,271           219,609

Pretax earnings ratio                                159.1%            161.6%

Preferred stock dividends of subsidiaries             6,290             5,892

Preferred stock dividends of subsidiaries on
 a pretax basis                                      10,007             9,521