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
June 30,
1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997
Fixed charges, as defined:
Total Interest charges 248,416 210,599 204,134 200,224 192,465 188,231
Interest applicable to rentals 23,759 23,455 21,539 16,648 14,887 15,459
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Total fixed charges, as defined 272,175 234,054 225,673 216,872 207,352 203,690
Preferred dividends, as defined (a) 69,617 65,299 52,210 44,651 48,690 43,270
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Combined fixed charges and preferred dividends, $341,792 $299,353 $277,883 $261,523 $256,042 $246,960
as defined ==========================================================
Earnings as defined:
Income (loss) from continuing operations before extraordinary items and
the cumulative effect of accounting changes $139,413 $69,462 ($82,755) $122,919 ($3,887) 160,793
Add:
Income Taxes 55,860 58,016 (62,086) 63,244 102,091 107,683
Fixed charges as above 272,175 234,054 225,673 216,872 207,352 203,690
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Total earnings, as defined (b) $467,448 $361,532 $80,832 $403,035 $305,556 $472,166
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Ratio of earnings to fixed charges, as defined 1.72 1.54 0.36 1.86 1.47 2.32
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Ratio of earnings to combined fixed charges and
preferred dividends, as defined 1.37 1.21 0.29 1.54 1.19 1.91
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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.