Exhibit 12



COMPUTATION IN SUPPORT OF RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

For Years Ended December 31

(Dollar Amounts in Thousands)



|                                                  |  |                                             |        |   |      |   |        |  |      |         |  |      |         |    |  |   |         |   
|------------------------------------------------- |  | ------------------------------------------- | ------ | - | ---- | - | ------ |  | ---- | ------- |  | ---- | ------- | -- |  | - | ------- | --
|                                                  |  | The Potomac Edison Company and Subsidiaries |       
|                                                  |  | 2003                                        |        |   | 2002 |   | 2001   |  | 2000 |         |  | 1999 |        
|Earnings:                                         |  |                                             |        |   |      |   |        |  |      |         |  |      |         |    |  |   |         |   
|Income from continuing operations                 |  | $                                           | 40,558 | * |      | $ | 32,678 |  | $    | 48,035  |  | $    | 84,385  | ** |  | $ | 100,582 | **
|Fixed charges (see below)                         |  |                                             | 32,155 |   |      |   | 34,522 |  |      | 37,754  |  |      | 45,334  |    |  |   | 46,243  |   
|Income taxes                                      |  |                                             | 20,652 | * |      |   | 15,679 |  |      | 27,351  |  |      | 37,172  | ** |  |   | 40,613  | **
|Amortization of capitalized interest              |  |                                             |       |   |      |   |       |  |      |        |  |      | 2       |    |  |   |        |   
|Income distributions of equity investees          |  |                                             |       |   |      |   |       |  |      |        |  |      | 4,480   |    |  |   |        |   
|Less: capitalized interest                        |  |                                             |       |   |      |   |       |  |      |        |  |      | (326    | )  |  |   |        |   
|Less: income from unconsolidated equity investees |  |                                             | (62    | ) |      |   |       |  |      |        |  |      | (3,525  | )  |  |   |        |   
|                                                  |  |                                             |        |   |      |   |        |  |      |         |  |      |         |    |  |   |         |   
|Total Earnings (as defined)                       |  | $                                           | 93,303 |   |      | $ | 82,879 |  | $    | 113,140 |  | $    | 167,522 |    |  | $ | 187,438 |   
|                                                  |  |                                             |        |   |      |   |        |  |      |         |  |      |         |    |  |   |         |   
|Fixed Charges:                                    |  |                                             |        |   |      |   |        |  |      |         |  |      |         |    |  |   |         |   
|Interest expensed and capitalized                 |  | $                                           | 31,391 |   |      | $ | 33,157 |  | $    | 35,372  |  | $    | 43,270  |    |  | $ | 44,903  |   
|Estimated interest component of rental expense    |  |                                             | 764    |   |      |   | 1,365  |  |      | 2,382   |  |      | 2,064   |    |  |   | 1,340   |   
|                                                  |  |                                             |        |   |      |   |        |  |      |         |  |      |         |    |  |   |         |   
|Total Fixed Charges (as defined)                  |  | $                                           | 32,155 |   |      | $ | 34,522 |  | $    | 37,754  |  | $    | 45,334  |    |  | $ | 46,243  |   
|                                                  |  |                                             |        |   |      |   |        |  |      |         |  |      |         |    |  |   |         |   
|Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges                |  |                                             | 2.90   |   |      |   | 2.40   |  |      | 3.00    |  |      | 3.70    |    |  |   | 4.05    |   
|                                                  |  |                                             |        |   |      |   |        |  |      |         |  |      |         |    |  |   |         |   

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|* |  | Excludes the cumulative effect of an accounting change.
|- |  | -------------------------------------------------------

|** |  | Excludes the effect of the extraordinary charge.
|-- |  | ------------------------------------------------