<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-99.CERT
<SEQUENCE>2
<FILENAME>cert302.txt
<DESCRIPTION>CERTIFICATION 302
<TEXT>



         CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO RULE 30A-2(A) UNDER THE 1940 ACT AND
                     SECTION 302 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT

I, Bruce N. Alpert, certify that:

1.   I have reviewed this report on Form N-Q of The Gabelli Utility Trust;

2.   Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of
     a material  fact or omit to state a  material  fact  necessary  to make the
     statements made, in light of the circumstances  under which such statements
     were made,  not  misleading  with  respect  to the  period  covered by this
     report;

3.   Based on my knowledge, the schedules of investments included in this report
     fairly present in all material  respects the  investments of the registrant
     as of the end of the fiscal quarter for which the report is filed;

4.   The  registrant's  other  certifying  officer(s) and I are  responsible for
     establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined
     in  Rule  30a-3(c)  under  the  Investment  Company  Act of  1940)  for the
     registrant and have:

     (a) Designed  such  disclosure  controls  and  procedures,  or caused  such
         disclosure   controls  and   procedures   to  be  designed   under  our
         supervision,  to  ensure  that  material  information  relating  to the
         registrant,  including its consolidated subsidiaries,  is made known to
         us by others within those entities,  particularly  during the period in
         which this report is being prepared;

     (b) [Omitted]

     (c) Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure controls and
         procedures  and  presented  in this  report our  conclusions  about the
         effectiveness of the disclosure  controls and procedures,  as of a date
         within 90 days prior to the filing date of this  report,  based on such
         evaluation; and

     (d) Disclosed  in this  report  any  change  in the  registrant's  internal
         control over financial  reporting that occurred during the registrant's
         most  recent  fiscal  quarter  that  has  materially  affected,  or  is
         reasonably  likely to  materially  affect,  the  registrant's  internal
         control over financial reporting; and

5.   The registrant's  other  certifying  officer(s) and I have disclosed to the
     registrant's  auditors and the audit committee of the registrant's board of
     directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

     (a) All significant  deficiencies and material  weaknesses in the design or
         operation  of  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  which are
         reasonably  likely to  adversely  affect  the  registrant's  ability to
         record, process, summarize, and report financial information; and

     (b) Any fraud,  whether or not material,  that involves management or other
         employees  who have a  significant  role in the  registrant's  internal
         control over financial reporting.




Date: November 26, 2004                             /s/ Bruce N. Alpert
      -----------------                             ---------------------------
                                                    Bruce N. Alpert, Principal
                                                    Executive Officer &
                                                    Principal Financial Officer


</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
