EXHIBIT 12
                           MIDAMERICAN ENERGY COMPANY
               COMPUTATION OF RATIOS OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
             AND COMPUTATION OF RATIOS OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
                   PLUS PREFERRED STOCK DIVIDEND REQUIREMENTS
                                 (In Thousands)
                                   (Unaudited)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                  Twelve Months Ended                   Twelve Months Ended
                                                                    March 31, 1999                       December 31, 1998 
                                                           --------------------------------       -------------------------------
                                                                       Supplemental (a)                       Supplemental (a)  
                                                                     --------------------                  ---------------------
                                                                                      As                                     As
                                                                     Adjustment    Adjusted                 Adjustment   Adjusted
                                                                     ----------    --------                 ----------   --------
<S>                                                        <C>         <C>         <C>            <C>         <C>        <C>     
Income from continuing operations ......................   $108,598    $     --    $108,598       $115,593    $    --    $115,593
                                                           --------    --------    --------       --------    -------    --------

Add (Deduct):
Total income taxes .....................................     70,649          --      70,649         76,042         --      76,042
Interest on long-term debt .............................     69,129       2,772      71,901         70,193      2,931      73,124
Other interest charges .................................     16,372          --      16,372         14,128         --      14,128
Preferred stock dividends of subsidiary trust ..........      7,980          --       7,980          7,980         --       7,980
Interest on leases .....................................        203          --         203            212         --         212
                                                           --------    --------    --------      ---------    -------    --------
                                                            164,333       2,772     167,105        168,555      2,931     171,486
                                                           --------    --------    --------      ---------    -------    --------

    Earnings available for fixed charges ...............    272,931       2,772     275,703        284,148      2,931     287,079
                                                           --------    --------    --------      ---------    -------    --------

Fixed Charges:
Interest on long-term debt .............................     69,129       2,772      71,901         70,193      2,931      73,124
Other interest charges .................................     16,372          --      16,372         14,128         --      14,128
Preferred stock dividends of subsidiary trust ..........      7,980          --       7,980          7,980         --       7,980
Interest on leases .....................................        203          --         203            212         --         212
                                                           --------    --------    --------      ---------    -------    --------
    Total fixed charges ................................     93,684       2,772      96,456         92,513      2,931      95,444
                                                           --------    --------    --------      ---------    -------    --------

Ratio of earnings to fixed charges .....................       2.91          --        2.86           3.07         --        3.01
                                                           ========    ========    ========      =========    =======    ========

Preferred stock dividends ..............................   $  4,954    $     --    $  4,954      $   4,952    $    --    $  4,952
Ratio of net income before income taxes to net income ..     1.6506          --      1.6506         1.6578         --      1.6578
                                                           --------    --------    --------      ---------    -------    --------
Preferred stock dividend requirements before income tax       8,177          --       8,177          8,209         --       8,209
                                                           --------    --------    --------      ---------    -------    --------
Fixed charges plus preferred stock dividend requirements    101,861       2,772     104,633        100,722      2,931     103,653
                                                           --------    --------    --------      ---------    -------    --------

Ratio of earnings to fixed charges plus preferred stock
  dividend requirements (pre-income tax basis) .........       2.68          --        2.63           2.82         --        2.77
                                                           ========    ========    ========      =========   ========    ========
</TABLE>

Note:  (a) Amounts in the supplemental columns are to reflect the Company's
portion of the net interest component of payments to Nebraska Public Power
District under a long-term purchase agreement for one-half of the plant capacity
from Cooper Nuclear Station.

                                       -1-
<PAGE>

                                                                     EXHIBIT 12
                           MIDAMERICAN ENERGY COMPANY
               COMPUTATION OF RATIOS OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
             AND COMPUTATION OF RATIOS OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
                   PLUS PREFERRED STOCK DIVIDEND REQUIREMENTS
                                 (In Thousands)
                                   (Unaudited)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                  Twelve Months Ended                    Twelve Months Ended
                                                                   December 31, 1997                       December 31,1996
                                                           --------------------------------       -------------------------------
                                                                        Supplemental (a)                        Supplemental (a) 
                                                                     ----------------------                    ------------------
                                                                                      As                                    As
                                                                     Adjustment    Adjusted                 Adjustment   Adjusted
                                                                     ----------    --------                  ---------   --------
<S>                                                        <C>         <C>         <C>            <C>         <C>        <C>     
Income from continuing operations ......................   $125,941    $     --    $125,941       $165,132    $     --   $165,132
                                                           --------    --------    --------       --------    --------   --------

Add (Deduct):
Total income taxes .....................................     76,317          --      76,317        112,927          --    112,927
Interest on long-term debt .............................     78,120       3,760      81,880         79,434       3,615     83,049
Other interest charges .................................     10,027          --      10,027         10,842          --     10,842
Preferred stock dividends of subsidiary trust ..........      7,980          --       7,980            288          --        288
Interest on leases .....................................        268          --         268            375          --        375
                                                           --------    --------    --------       --------    --------   --------
                                                            172,712       3,760     176,472        203,866       3,615    207,481
                                                           --------    --------    --------       --------    --------   --------

    Earnings available for fixed charges ...............    298,653       3,760     302,413        368,998       3,615    372,613
                                                           --------    --------    --------       --------    --------   --------

Fixed Charges:
Interest on long-term debt .............................     78,120       3,760      81,880         79,434       3,615     83,049
Other interest charges .................................     10,027          --      10,027         10,842          --     10,842
Preferred stock dividends of subsidiary trust ..........      7,980          --       7,980            288          --        288
Interest on leases .....................................        268          --         268            375          --        375
                                                           --------    --------    --------       --------    --------   --------
    Total fixed charges ................................     96,395       3,760     100,155         90,939       3,615     94,554
                                                           --------    --------    --------       --------    --------   --------

Ratio of earnings to fixed charges .....................       3.10          --        3.02           4.06          --       3.94
                                                           ========    ========    ========       ========    ========   ========

Preferred stock dividends ..............................   $  6,488    $     --    $  6,488       $ 10,401    $     --   $ 10,401
Ratio of net income before income taxes to net income ..     1.6060          --      1.6060         1.6839          --     1.6839
                                                           --------    --------    --------       --------    --------   --------
Preferred stock dividend requirements before income tax      10,420          --      10,420         17,514          --     17,514
                                                           --------    --------    --------       --------    --------   --------
Fixed charges plus preferred stock dividend requirements    106,815       3,760     110,575        108,453       3,615    112,068
                                                           --------    --------    --------       --------    --------   --------

Ratio of earnings to fixed charges plus preferred stock
  dividend requirements (pre-income tax basis) .........       2.80          --        2.73           3.40          --       3.32
                                                           ========    ========    ========       ========    ========   ========
</TABLE>

Note:  (a) Amounts in the  supplemental  columns  are to reflect  the  Company's
portion of the net  interest  component  of payments to  Nebraska  Public  Power
District under a long-term purchase agreement for one-half of the plant capacity
from Cooper Nuclear Station.

                                      -2-

<PAGE>

                                                                      EXHIBIT 12
                           MIDAMERICAN ENERGY COMPANY
               COMPUTATION OF RATIOS OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
             AND COMPUTATION OF RATIOS OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
                   PLUS PREFERRED STOCK DIVIDEND REQUIREMENTS
                                 (In Thousands)
                                   (Unaudited)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                Twelve Months Ended                     Twelve Months Ended
                                                                  December 31,1995                       December 31, 1994
                                                           ------------------------------         -------------------------------
                                                                       Supplemental (a)                        Supplemental (a) 
                                                                    ---------------------                   ---------------------
                                                                                    As                                      As   
                                                                    Adjustment   Adjusted                   Adjustment   Adjusted
                                                                    ----------   --------                   ----------   --------
<S>                                                        <C>        <C>        <C>              <C>         <C>        <C>     
Income from continuing operations ......................   $132,489   $     --   $132,489         $121,145    $     --   $121,145
                                                           --------   --------   --------         --------    --------   --------

Add (Deduct):
Total income taxes .....................................     84,098         --     84,098           66,759          --     66,759
Interest on long-term debt .............................     80,133      4,595     84,728           73,922       5,428     79,350
Other interest charges .................................      9,396         --      9,396            6,639          --      6,639
Preferred stock dividends of subsidiary trust ..........         --         --         --               --          --         --
Interest on leases .....................................      1,088         --      1,088            1,211          --      1,211
                                                           --------   --------   --------         --------    --------   --------
                                                            174,715      4,595    179,310          148,531       5,428    153,959
                                                           --------   --------   --------         --------    --------   --------

    Earnings available for fixed charges ...............    307,204      4,595    311,799          269,676       5,428    275,104
                                                           --------   --------   --------         --------    --------   --------

Fixed Charges:
Interest on long-term debt .............................     80,133      4,595     84,728           73,922       5,428     79,350
Other interest charges .................................      9,396         --      9,396            6,639          --      6,639
Preferred stock dividends of subsidiary trust ..........         --         --         --               --          --         --
Interest on leases .....................................      1,088         --      1,088            1,211          --      1,211
                                                           --------   --------   --------         --------    --------   --------
    Total fixed charges ................................     90,617      4,595     95,212           81,772       5,428     87,200
                                                           --------   --------   --------         --------    --------   --------

Ratio of earnings to fixed charges .....................       3.39         --       3.27             3.30          --       3.15
                                                           ========   ========   ========         ========    ========   ========

Preferred stock dividends ..............................   $  8,059   $     --   $  8,059         $ 10,551    $     --   $ 10,551
Ratio of net income before income taxes to net income ..     1.6348         --     1.6348           1.5511          --     1.5511
                                                           --------   --------   --------         --------    --------   --------
Preferred stock dividend requirements before income tax      13,175         --     13,175           16,366          --     16,366
                                                           --------   --------   --------         --------    --------   --------
Fixed charges plus preferred stock dividend requirements    103,792      4,595    108,387           98,138       5,428    103,566
                                                           --------   --------   --------         --------    --------   --------

Ratio of earnings to fixed charges plus preferred stock
  dividend requirements (pre-income tax basis) .........       2.96         --       2.88             2.75          --       2.66
                                                           ========   ========   ========         ========    ========   ========
</TABLE>

Note:  (a) Amounts in the  supplemental  columns  are to reflect  the  Company's
portion of the net  interest  component  of payments to  Nebraska  Public  Power
District under a long-term purchase agreement for one-half of the plant capacity
from Cooper Nuclear Station.

                                       -3-