EXHIBIT 12



THE POTOMAC EDISON COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES



COMPUTATION IN SUPPORT OF RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES



|                                               |  |                              |         |      |   |        |      |  |      |        |      |   |         |  |   |         |  
|---------------------------------------------- |  | ---------------------------- | ------- | ---- | - | ------ | ---- |  | ---- | ------ | ---- | - | ------- |  | - | ------- | -
|                                               |  | For Years Ended December 31, |        
|($ in thousands)                               |  | 2004                         |         | 2003 |   |        | 2002 |  | 2001 |        | 2000 |  
|Earnings:                                      |  |                              |         |      |   |        |      |  |      |        |      |   |         |  |   |         |  
|Income from continuing operations              |  | $                            | 37,981  |      | $ | 40,558 |      |  | $    | 32,678 |      | $ | 48,035  |  | $ | 84,385  |  
|Exclude amounts reflected in line above:       |  |                              |         |      |   |        |      |  |      |        |      |   |         |  |   |         |  
|Income tax expense                             |  |                              | 34,835  |      |   | 20,652 |      |  |      | 15,679 |      |   | 27,351  |  |   | 37,172  |  
|Amortization of capitalized interest           |  |                              |        |      |   |       |      |  |      |       |      |   |        |  |   | 2       |  
|Income distributions of equity investee        |  |                              |        |      |   |       |      |  |      |       |      |   |        |  |   | 4,480   |  
|Income from unconsolidated equity investees    |  |                              |        |      |   | (62    | )    |  |      |       |      |   |        |  |   | (3,525  | )
|Add fixed charges (see below)                  |  |                              | 33,336  |      |   | 32,155 |      |  |      | 34,522 |      |   | 37,754  |  |   | 45,334  |  
|Less amounts included in fixed charges:        |  |                              |         |      |   |        |      |  |      |        |      |   |         |  |   |         |  
|Capitalized interest                           |  |                              |        |      |   |       |      |  |      |       |      |   |        |  |   | (326    | )
|                                               |  |                              |         |      |   |        |      |  |      |        |      |   |         |  |   |         |  
|Total Earnings (as defined)                    |  | $                            | 106,152 |      | $ | 93,303 |      |  | $    | 82,879 |      | $ | 113,140 |  | $ | 167,522 |  
|                                               |  |                              |         |      |   |        |      |  |      |        |      |   |         |  |   |         |  
|Fixed Charges:                                 |  |                              |         |      |   |        |      |  |      |        |      |   |         |  |   |         |  
|Interest expensed and capitalized              |  | $                            | 32,654  |      | $ | 31,391 |      |  | $    | 33,157 |      | $ | 35,372  |  | $ | 43,270  |  
|Estimated interest component of rental expense |  |                              | 682     |      |   | 764    |      |  |      | 1,365  |      |   | 2,382   |  |   | 2,064   |  
|                                               |  |                              |         |      |   |        |      |  |      |        |      |   |         |  |   |         |  
|Total Fixed Charges (as defined)               |  | $                            | 33,336  |      | $ | 32,155 |      |  | $    | 34,522 |      | $ | 37,754  |  | $ | 45,334  |  
|                                               |  |                              |         |      |   |        |      |  |      |        |      |   |         |  |   |         |  
|Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges             |  |                              | 3.18x   |      |   | 2.90x  |      |  |      | 2.40x  |      |   | 3.00x   |  |   | 3.70x   |  
|                                               |  |                              |         |      |   |        |      |  |      |        |      |   |         |  |   |         |