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
March
1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998
Fixed charges, as defined:
Total Interest charges 210,599 204,134 200,224 193,890 180,073 175,002
Interest applicable to rentals 23,455 21,539 16,648 14,887 15,747 16,587
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Total fixed charges, as defined 234,054 225,673 216,872 208,777 195,820 191,589
Preferred dividends, as defined (a) 65,299 52,210 44,651 48,690 30,028 27,893
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Combined fixed charges and preferred dividends, as defined $299,353 $277,883 $261,523 $257,467 $225,848 $219,482
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Earnings as defined:
Income (loss) from continuing operations before extraordinary
items and the cumulative effect of accounting changes $69,462 ($82,755) $122,919 ($3,887) 59,976 42,197
Add:
Income Taxes 58,016 (62,086) 63,244 102,091 22,402 15,493
Fixed charges as above 234,054 225,673 216,872 208,777 195,820 191,589
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Total earnings, as defined (b) $361,532 $80,832 $403,035 $306,981 $278,198 $249,279
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Ratio of earnings to fixed charges, as defined 1.54 0.36 1.86 1.47 1.42 1.30
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Ratio of earnings to combined fixed charges and
preferred dividends, as defined 1.21 0.29 1.54 1.19 1.23 1.14
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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.