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                                                                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,
                                                                1999               1998
                                                            ------------        ------------


<S>                                                           <C>                <C>
OPERATING REVENUES                                            $3,385,689         $3,226,975
                                                               ---------          ---------

OPERATING EXPENSES                                             2,578,059          2,525,769
  Interest portion of rentals (A)                                 24,969             21,424
  Fixed charges of service company
    subsidiaries (B)                                               4,165              1,891
                                                               ---------          ---------
        Net expense                                            2,548,925          2,502,454
                                                               ---------          ---------

OTHER INCOME AND DEDUCTIONS:
   Allowance for funds used
    during construction                                            3,204              4,285
   Equity in undistributed earnings
     of affiliates, net                                           79,370             42,882
   Other income, net                                              77,283             44,377
  Minority interest net income                                    (1,796)           (1,457)
                                                               ---------           -------
        Total other income and deductions                        158,061             90,087
                                                               ---------           --------

EARNINGS AVAILABLE FOR FIXED CHARGES
  AND PREFERRED STOCK DIVIDENDS (excluding
  taxes based on income)                                      $  994,825         $  814,608
                                                               =========          =========

FIXED CHARGES:
   Interest on funded indebtedness                            $  286,672         $  241,264
   Other interest (C)                                             46,455             49,312
  Preferred stock dividends of
    subsidiaries on a pretax basis (E)                            13,934             13,762
   Interest portion of rentals (A)                                24,969             21,424
                                                               ---------          ---------
        Total fixed charges                                   $  372,030         $  325,762
                                                               =========          =========

RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES                                  2.67               2.50
                                                                    ====               ====

RATIO OF EARNINGS TO COMBINED FIXED CHARGES
  AND PREFERRED STOCK DIVIDENDS (D)                                 2.67               2.50
                                                                    ====               ====
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                                                                   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 $19,752 and $21,666 for the nine month periods
        ended  September  30, 1999 and 1998,  respectively  and amount for trust
        preferred securities of $4,673 for the nine month period ended September
        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:

                                                                   Nine Months Ended
                                                           --------------------------------
                                                           September 30,     September 30,
                                                               1999                1998
                                                            ---------           -----------

Income before provision for income taxes and
<S>                                                          <C>                   <C>
 preferred stock dividends of subsidiaries                   $636,729              $502,608

Income before extraordinary item in 1998 and
 preferred stock dividends of subsidiaries                    394,156               310,924

Pretax earnings ratio                                          161.5%                161.6%

Preferred stock dividends of subsidiaries                       8,628                 8,516

Preferred stock dividends of subsidiaries on
 a pretax basis                                                13,934                13,762





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