Exhibit 99(b)
Entergy Gulf States, Inc.
Computation of Ratios of Earnings to Fixed Charges and
Ratios of Earnings to Combined Fixed Charges and Preferred Dividends
Twelve Months Ended September 30,
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
Fixed charges, as defined:
Total Interest charges $193,890 $180,073 $178,220 $153,034 $158,949 $175,749
Interest applicable to rentals 14,887 15,747 16,927 16,451 18,307 19,258
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Total fixed charges, as defined 208,777 195,820 195,147 169,485 177,256 $195,007
Preferred dividends, as defined (a) 48,690 30,028 32,031 29,355 15,742 7,897
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Combined fixed charges and preferred dividends, as defined $257,467 $225,848 $227,178 $198,840 $192,998 $202,904
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Earnings as defined:
Income (loss) from continuing operations before
extraordinary items and
the cumulative effect of accounting changes ($3,887) $59,976 $46,393 $125,000 $180,343 $174,227
Add:
Income Taxes 102,091 22,402 31,773 75,165 103,603 96,373
Fixed charges as above 208,777 195,820 195,147 169,485 177,256 195,007
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Total earnings, as defined (b) $306,981 $278,198 $273,313 $369,650 $461,202 $465,607
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Ratio of earnings to fixed charges, as defined 1.47 1.42 1.40 2.18 2.60 2.39
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Ratio of earnings to combined fixed charges and
preferred dividends, as defined 1.19 1.23 1.20 1.86 2.39 2.29
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(a) "Preferred dividends," as defined by SEC regulation S-K, are computed by
dividing the preferred dividend requirement by one hundred percent (100%)
minus the income tax rate.
(b) Earnings for the year ended December 31, 1994, for GSU were not adequate
to cover fixed charges combined fixed charges and preferred dividends by
$144.8 million and $197.1 million, respectively.