Exhibit 12-B
                         Atlantic City Electric Company
                         ------------------------------
                                        
            Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges & Preferred Dividends
            --------------------------------------------------------
                             (Dollars in Thousands)



                                       12 Months                12 Months Ended December 31,
                                     Ended June 30,  ----------------------------------------------------
                                         1998         1997           1996           1995           1994
                                    --------------  --------       --------       --------       --------
                                                                                  
Net income                             $ 45,276     $ 85,747       $ 75,017       $ 98,752       $ 93,174
                                       --------     --------       --------       --------       --------
                                                  
Income taxes                             27,260       50,442         36,958         48,277         36,130
                                       --------     --------       --------       --------       --------
                                                 
Fixed charges:                                    
 Interest on long-term debt              63,381       64,501         64,847         62,879          58,460
 Other interest                           3,478        3,574          4,019          4,364           4,148
 Preferred stock dividend                         
  requirements of subsidiaries            5,775        5,775          1,428             -              -
                                       --------     --------       --------       --------       --------
Total fixed charges                      72,634       73,850         70,294         67,243         62,608
                                       --------     --------       --------       --------       --------
                                                 
Earnings before income taxes                      
 and fixed charges                     $145,170     $210,039       $182,269       $214,272       $191,912
                                       ========     ========       ========       ========       ========
                                                  
Fixed charges                            72,634       73,850         70,294         67,243         62,608
                                       --------     --------       --------       --------       --------
                                                  
Preferred dividend requirement            6,214        7,506         14,214         20,839         22,212
                                       --------     --------       --------       --------       --------
                                                  
                                       $ 78,848     $ 81,356       $ 84,508       $ 88,082       $ 84,820
                                       ========     ========       ========       ========       ========
                                                 
Ratio of earnings to fixed charges &              
 Preferred dividends                       1.84         2.58           2.16           2.43           2.26
                                       --------     --------       --------       --------       --------
 

For purposes of computing the ratio, earnings are net income plus income taxes
and fixed charges. fixed charges consist of interest on long- and short-term
debt, amortization of debt discount, premium, and expense, dividends on
preferred securities of a subsidiary trust, and the interest factor associated
with the Company's major leases. Preferred dividend requirements represent
annualized preferred dividend requirements multiplied by the ratio that pre-tax
income bears to net income.


                                        



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