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


                                                        Nine Months Ended
                                                  -----------------------------
                                                  September 30,   September 30,
                                                       2000            1999
                                                  -------------   -------------

OPERATING REVENUES                                 $3,912,104       $3,385,689
                                                    ---------        ---------

OPERATING EXPENSES                                  3,521,634        2,578,059
  Interest portion of rentals (A)                      17,863           24,969
  Fixed charges of service company
    subsidiaries (B)                                    3,911            4,165
                                                    ---------        ---------
      Net expense                                   3,499,860        2,548,925
                                                    ---------        ---------

OTHER INCOME AND DEDUCTIONS:
  Allowance for funds used
    during construction                                 3,541            3,204
  Equity in undistributed earnings
    of affiliates, net                                 22,278           79,370
  Other income, net                                   112,568           77,283
  Minority interest net income                         (2,816)          (1,796)
                                                    ---------        ---------
      Total other income and deductions               135,571          158,061
                                                    ---------        ---------

EARNINGS AVAILABLE FOR FIXED CHARGES
  AND PREFERRED STOCK DIVIDENDS (excluding
  taxes based on income)                           $  547,815       $  994,825
                                                    =========        =========

FIXED CHARGES:
  Interest on funded indebtedness                  $  386,549       $  302,135
  Other interest (C)                                   23,731           30,992
  Preferred stock dividends of
    subsidiaries on a pretax basis (E)                 22,588           13,934
  Interest portion of rentals (A)                      17,863           24,969
                                                    ---------        ---------
      Total fixed charges                          $  450,731       $  372,030
                                                    =========        =========

RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES                       1.22             2.67
                                                         ====             ====

RATIO OF EARNINGS TO COMBINED FIXED CHARGES
  AND PREFERRED STOCK DIVIDENDS (D)                      1.22             2.67
                                                         ====             ====



<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  $8,025  and  $19,752  for the  nine  month  periods  ended
      September   30,   2000   and   1999,   respectively,    and   amount   for
      subsidiary-obligated  trust  preferred  securities  of $10,017 and $4,673,
      respectively, for the same periods.

(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:

                                                        Nine Months Ended
                                                  -----------------------------
                                                  September 30,   September 30,
                                                       2000            1999
                                                  -------------   -------------

Income before provision for income taxes
  and preferred stock dividends of subsidiaries    $119,672          $636,729

Income before preferred stock dividends
  of subsidiaries                                    29,208           394,156

Pretax earnings ratio                                 409.7%            161.5%

Preferred stock dividends of subsidiaries             5,513             8,628

Preferred stock dividends of subsidiaries on
  a pretax basis                                     22,588            13,934