<TABLE>
<CAPTION>                                                                                                     EXHIBIT 12 (A)

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                     PUBLIC SERVICE ELECTRIC AND GAS COMPANY
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               COMPUTATION OF RATIOS OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

                                                                                                                  12 Months
                                                                                                                    Ended
                                                                YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31,                          September
                                                                                                                     30,
                                           -----------  ------------  -------------  ------------  ------------   ----------
                                              1995         1996           1997          1998          1999          2000
                                           -----------  ------------  -------------  ------------  ------------   ----------
<S>                                              <C>           <C>            <C>           <C>           <C>          <C>
Earnings as Defined in
  Regulation S-K (A):
Net Income (B)                                   $617          $535           $528          $602          $653         $620
Income Taxes (C)                                  326           268            256           404           510          450
Fixed Charges                                     419           438            450           446           450          404
                                           -----------  ------------  -------------  ------------  ------------  -----------
Earnings                                       $1,362        $1,241         $1,234        $1,452        $1,613       $1,474
                                           ===========  ============  =============  ============  ============  ===========

Fixed Charges as Defined in
  Regulation S-K (D):

Total Interest Expense                           $407          $399           $395          $390          $394         $348
Interest Factor in Rentals                         12            11             11            11            10           10
Subsidiaries' Preferred Securities
    Dividend Requirements                          --            28             44            45            46           46
                                           -----------  ------------  -------------  ------------  ------------  -----------
Total Fixed Charges                              $419          $438           $450          $446          $450         $404
                                           ===========  ============  =============  ============  ============  ===========

Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges               3.25          2.83           2.74          3.27          3.58         3.65
                                           ===========  ============  =============  ============  ============  ===========

<FN>
(A)  The term  "earnings"  shall be defined  as pretax  income  from  continuing
     operations.  Add to pretax income the amount of fixed  charges  adjusted to
     exclude (a) the amount of any  interest  capitalized  during the period and
     (b) the actual  amount of any  preferred  stock  dividend  requirements  of
     majority-owned  subsidiaries  which were  included  in such  fixed  charges
     amount but not deducted in the determination of pretax income.

(B)  Excludes extraordinary item.

(C)  Includes  State income taxes and Federal  income taxes for other income and
     excludes taxes applicable to extraordinary item.

(D)  Fixed Charges represent (a) interest, whether expensed or capitalized,  (b)
     amortization  of debt  discount,  premium and  expense,  (c) an estimate of
     interest  implicit  in  rentals,  and  (d)  Preferred  Securities  Dividend
     Requirements of subsidiaries.

</FN>
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