EXHIBIT 12

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                           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)

                                                                   TWELVE MONTHS ENDED                TWELVE MONTHS ENDED        
                                                                    DECEMBER 31,1998                    DECEMBER 31,1997          
                                                              --------------------------------   --------------------------------
                                                                         Supplemental (a)                   Supplemental (a)     
                                                                         ---------------------              ---------------------
                                                                                         As                                 As   
                                                                         Adjustment   Adjusted              Adjustment   Adjusted
                                                                         ----------   --------            ----------   --------
<S>                                                           <C>           <C>       <C>        <C>           <C>       <C>     
Income from continuing operations .........................   $115,593      $    -    $115,593   $125,941      $    -    $125,941
                                                              --------      ------    --------   --------      ------    --------

Add (Deduct):
Total income taxes ........................................     76,042           -      76,042     76,317           -      76,317
Interest on long-term debt ................................     70,193       2,931      73,124     78,120       3,760      81,880
Other interest charges ....................................     14,128           -      14,128     10,027           -      10,027
Preferred stock dividends of subsidiary trust..............      7,980           -       7,980      7,980           -       7,980
Interest on leases ........................................        212           -         212        268           -         268
                                                              --------      ------    --------   --------      ------    --------
                                                               168,555       2,931     171,486    172,712       3,760     176,472
                                                              --------      ------    --------   --------      ------    --------
  Earnings available for fixed charges ....................    284,148       2,931     287,079    298,653       3,760     302,413
                                                              --------      ------    --------   --------      ------    --------
Fixed Charges:
Interest on long-term debt ................................     70,193       2,931      73,124     78,120       3,760      81,880
Other interest charges ....................................     14,128           -      14,128     10,027           -      10,027
Preferred stock dividends of subsidiary trust..............      7,980           -       7,980      7,980           -       7,980
Interest on leases ........................................        212           -         212        268           -         268
                                                              --------      ------    --------   --------      ------    --------
  Total fixed charges......................................     92,513       2,931      95,444     96,395       3,760     100,155
                                                              --------      ------    --------   --------      ------    --------

Ratio of earnings to fixed charges ........................       3.07           -        3.01       3.10           -        3.02
                                                              ========      ======    ========   ========      ======    ========

Preferred stock dividends .................................   $  4,952      $    -    $  4,952   $  6,488      $    -    $  6,488
Ratio of net income before income taxes to net income .....     1.6578           -      1.6578     1.6060           -      1.6060
                                                              --------      ------    --------   --------      ------    --------
Preferred stock dividend requirements before income tax ...      8,209           -       8,209     10,420           -      10,420
                                                              --------      ------    --------   --------      ------    --------
Fixed charges plus preferred stock dividend requirements ..    100,722       2,931     103,653    106,815       3,760     110,575
                                                              --------      ------    --------   --------      ------    --------

Ratio of earnings to fixed charges plus preferred stock
  dividend requirements (pre-income tax basis) ............       2.82           -        2.77       2.80           -        2.73
                                                              ========      ======    ========   ========      ======    ========

</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
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                           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)
                                                                        TWELVE MONTHS ENDED           TWELVE MONTHS ENDED        
                                                                         DECEMBER 31,1996              DECEMBER 31,1995          
                                                              ------------------------------     --------------------------------
                                                                          Supplemental (a)                  Supplemental (a)     
                                                                         --------------------               ---------------------
                                                                                       As                                   As   
                                                                         Adjustment  Adjusted               Adjustment   Adjusted
                                                                         ----------  --------               ----------   --------
<S>                                                           <C>          <C>       <C>         <C>           <C>      <C>      
Income from continuing operations ........................... $165,132     $    -    $165,132    $132,489      $    -   $132,489 
                                                              --------     ------    --------    --------      ------   -------- 

Add (Deduct):
Total income taxes ..........................................  112,927          -     112,927      84,098           -     84,098 
Interest on long-term debt ..................................   79,434      3,615      83,049      80,133       4,595     84,728 
Other interest charges ......................................   10,842          -      10,842       9,396           -      9,396 
Preferred stock dividends of subsidiary trust................      288          -         288           -           -          - 
Interest on leases ..........................................      375          -         375       1,088           -      1,088 
                                                              --------     ------    --------    --------      ------    ------- 
                                                               203,866      3,615     207,481     174,715       4,595    179,310 
                                                              --------     ------    --------    --------      ------    ------- 
  Earnings available for fixed charges ......................  368,998      3,615     372,613     307,204       4,595    311,799 
                                                              --------     ------    --------    --------      ------    ------- 
Fixed Charges:
Interest on long-term debt ..................................   79,434      3,615      83,049      80,133       4,595     84,728 
Other interest charges ......................................   10,842          -      10,842       9,396           -      9,396 
Preferred stock dividends of subsidiary trust................      288          -         288           -           -          - 
Interest on leases ..........................................      375          -         375       1,088           -      1,088 
                                                              --------     ------    --------    --------      ------    ------- 
  Total fixed charges                                           90,939      3,615      94,554      90,617       4,595     95,212 
                                                              --------      ------    -------    --------     ------    --------

Ratio of earnings to fixed charges ..........................     4.06          -        3.94        3.39           -       3.27 
                                                              ========     ======    ========    ========      ======    ======= 

Preferred stock dividends ................................... $ 10,401     $    -    $ 10,401    $  8,059      $    -    $ 8,059 
Ratio of net income before income taxes to net income .......   1.6839          -      1.6839      1.6348           -     1.6348 
                                                              --------     ------    --------    --------      ------    ------- 
Preferred stock dividend requirements before income tax .....   17,514          -      17,514      13,175           -     13,175 
                                                              --------     ------    --------    --------      ------    ------- 
Fixed charges plus preferred stock dividend requirements ....  108,453      3,615     112,068     103,792       4,595    108,387 
                                                              --------     ------    --------    --------      ------    ------- 

Ratio of earnings to fixed charges plus preferred stock 
  dividend requirements (pre-income tax basis) ..............     3.40          -        3.32        2.96           -       2.88 
                                                              ========     ======    ========    ========      ======    ======= 


</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
<TABLE>
<CAPTION> 

                           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)
                                                                        TWELVE MONTHS ENDED           TWELVE MONTHS ENDED        
                                                                         DECEMBER 31,1994              DECEMBER 31,1993          
                                                              ------------------------------     --------------------------------
                                                                          Supplemental (a)                  Supplemental (a)     
                                                                         --------------------               ---------------------
                                                                                       As                                   As   
                                                                         Adjustment  Adjusted               Adjustment   Adjusted
                                                                         ----------  --------               ----------   --------
<S>                                                           <C>          <C>       <C>         <C>           <C>       <C>     
Income from continuing operations ..........................  $121,145     $    -    $121,145    $133,888      $    -    $133,888
                                                              --------     ------    --------    --------      ------    --------

Add (Deduct):
Total income taxes .........................................    66,759          -      66,759      75,917           -      75,917
Interest on long-term debt .................................    73,922      5,428      79,350      80,642       5,678      86,320
Other interest charges .....................................     6,639          -       6,639       5,068           -       5,068
Preferred stock dividends of subsidiary trust...............         -          -           -           -           -           -
Interest on leases .........................................     1,211          -       1,211       1,876           -       1,876
                                                              --------     ------    --------    --------      ------     -------
                                                               148,531      5,428     153,959     163,503       5,678     169,181
                                                              --------     ------    --------    --------      ------     -------
  Earnings available for fixed charges .....................   269,676      5,428     275,104     297,391       5,678     303,069
                                                              --------     ------    --------    --------      ------     -------
Fixed Charges: 
Interest on long-term debt .................................    73,922      5,428      79,350      80,642       5,678      86,320
Other interest charges .....................................     6,639          -       6,639       5,068           -       5,068
Preferred stock dividends of subsidiary trust...............         -          -           -           -           -           -
Interest on leases .........................................     1,211          -       1,211       1,876           -       1,876
                                                              --------     ------    --------    --------      ------     -------
  Total fixed charges                                           81,772      5,428      87,200      87,586       5,678      93,264
                                                              --------     ------    --------    --------      ------     -------

Ratio of earnings to fixed charges .........................      3.30          -        3.15        3.40           -        3.25
                                                              ========     ======    ========    ========      ======     =======

Preferred stock dividends ..................................  $ 10,551     $    -    $ 10,551    $  8,367      $    -     $ 8,367
Ratio of net income before income taxes to net income ......    1.5511          -      1.5511      1.5670           -      1.5670
                                                              --------     ------    --------    --------      ------     -------
Preferred stock dividend requirements before income tax ....    16,366          -      16,366      13,111           -      13,111
                                                              --------     ------    --------    --------      ------     -------
Fixed charges plus preferred stock dividend requirements ...    98,138      5,428     103,566     100,697       5,678     106,375
                                                              --------     ------    --------    --------      ------     -------

Ratio of earnings to fixed charges plus preferred stock  
  dividend requirements (pre-income tax basis) .............      2.75          -        2.66        2.95           -        2.85
                                                              ========     ======    ========    ========      ======     =======


</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-