EXHIBIT 12



COMPUTATION IN SUPPORT OF RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

For Years Ended December 31

(Dollar Amounts in Thousands)



|                                                 |  |                                          |         |   |      |   |         |  |      |         |      |   |         |  |   |         |   
|------------------------------------------------ |  | ---------------------------------------- | ------- | - | ---- | - | ------- |  | ---- | ------- | ---- | - | ------- |  | - | ------- | --
|                                                 |  | West Penn Power Company and Subsidiaries |        
|                                                 |  | 2003                                     |         |   | 2002 |   | 2001    |  | 2000 |         | 1999 |  
|Earnings:                                        |  |                                          |         |   |      |   |         |  |      |         |      |   |         |  |   |         |   
|Income from continuing operations                |  | $                                        | 92,358  | * |      | $ | 93,984  |  | $    | 109,845 |      | $ | 102,404 |  | $ | 137,600 | **
|Fixed charges (see below)                        |  |                                          | 40,760  |   |      |   | 48,892  |  |      | 53,384  |      |   | 68,920  |  |   | 73,303  |   
|Income taxes                                     |  |                                          | 40,477  | * |      |   | 44,512  |  |      | 54,220  |      |   | 56,297  |  |   | 71,945  | **
|Less: income from unconsolidated equity investee |  |                                          | (297    | ) |      |   |        |  |      |        |      |   |        |  |   |        |   
|                                                 |  |                                          |         |   |      |   |         |  |      |         |      |   |         |  |   |         |   
|Total Earnings (as defined)                      |  | $                                        | 173,298 |   |      | $ | 187,388 |  | $    | 217,449 |      | $ | 227,621 |  | $ | 282,848 |   
|                                                 |  |                                          |         |   |      |   |         |  |      |         |      |   |         |  |   |         |   
|Fixed Charges:                                   |  |                                          |         |   |      |   |         |  |      |         |      |   |         |  |   |         |   
|Interest expensed                                |  | $                                        | 39,728  |   |      | $ | 46,926  |  | $    | 51,541  |      | $ | 66,918  |  | $ | 68,724  |   
|Estimated interest component of rental expense   |  |                                          | 1,032   |   |      |   | 1,966   |  |      | 1,843   |      |   | 2,002   |  |   | 4,579   |   
|                                                 |  |                                          |         |   |      |   |         |  |      |         |      |   |         |  |   |         |   
|Total Fixed Charges (as defined)                 |  | $                                        | 40,760  |   |      | $ | 48,892  |  | $    | 53,384  |      | $ | 68,920  |  | $ | 73,303  |   
|                                                 |  |                                          |         |   |      |   |         |  |      |         |      |   |         |  |   |         |   
|Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges               |  |                                          | 4.25    |   |      |   | 3.83    |  |      | 4.07    |      |   | 3.30    |  |   | 3.86    |   
|                                                 |  |                                          |         |   |      |   |         |  |      |         |      |   |         |  |   |         |   

---

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

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