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,
                                                      1998            1997     
                                                      ----            ----     


OPERATING REVENUES                                 $3,226,975      $3,110,935
                                                    ---------       ---------

OPERATING EXPENSES                                  2,525,769       2,420,586
  Interest portion of rentals (A)                      21,424          18,225
  Fixed charges of service company
    subsidiaries (B)                                    1,891           2,160
                                                    ---------       ---------
      Net expense                                   2,502,454       2,400,201
                                                    ---------       ---------

OTHER INCOME AND DEDUCTIONS:
  Allowance for funds used
    during construction                                 4,285           4,482
  Equity in undistributed earnings/(losses)
    of affiliates, net                                 42,882         (85,995)
  Other income, net                                    44,377           1,472
  Minority interest net income                         (1,457)         (1,035)
                                                    ---------        --------
      Total other income and deductions                90,087         (81,076)
                                                    ---------        --------

EARNINGS AVAILABLE FOR FIXED CHARGES
  AND PREFERRED STOCK DIVIDENDS (excluding
  taxes based on income)                           $  814,608      $  629,658
                                                    =========       =========

FIXED CHARGES:
  Interest on funded indebtedness                  $  241,264      $  172,603
  Other interest (C)                                   49,312          50,132
  Preferred stock dividends of
    subsidiaries on a pretax basis (E)                 13,762          18,204
  Interest portion of rentals (A)                      21,424          18,225
                                                    ---------       ---------
      Total fixed charges                          $  325,762      $  259,164
                                                    =========       =========

RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES                       2.50            2.43
                                                         ====            ====

RATIO OF EARNINGS TO COMBINED FIXED CHARGES
  AND PREFERRED STOCK DIVIDENDS (D)                      2.50            2.43
                                                         ====            ====


<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 the  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 $21,666 for the nine month periods ended  September 30, 1998
      and 1997, respectively.

(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,
                                                    1998              1997     
                                                    ----              ----     

Income before provision for income taxes and
 preferred stock dividends of subsidiaries         $502,608          $482,658

Income before extraordinary item in 1998
 and preferred stock dividends of subsidiaries      310,924           251,682

Pretax earnings ratio                                161.6%            191.8%

Preferred stock dividends of subsidiaries             8,516             9,491

Preferred stock dividends of subsidiaries on
 a pretax basis                                      13,762            18,204