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| CLECO CORPORATION | EXHIBIT 12(a) |
|-------------------|---------------|

|                                                                      |   | FOR THE THREEMONTHS ENDED |    |    | FOR THE TWELVE MONTHS ENDED |   |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|---------------------------|---------|---------|----------------------------------|--------|
| (THOUSANDS, EXCEPT RATIOS)                                                |   | MARCH 31, 2010            |    |
| Earnings from continuing operations                                       |   | $                         | 149,970 |    |                             | $      | 249,628 |   |
| Undistributed equity gain from investees                                  |   |                      | (37,847 | )       |                             |   | (30,575 | ) |
| Income taxes                                                              |   |                      | 79,866  |    |                             |   | 88,119 |   |
| Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes                   |   | $                         | 191,989 |    |                             | $      | 307,172 |   |
| Fixed charges:                                                            |   |                      |    |    |                             |   |   |   |
| Interest, long-term debt                                                  |   | $                         | 17,737  |    |                             | $      | 68,257 |   |
| Interest, other (including interest on short-term debt)                   |   |                      | 7,581   |    |                             |   | 11,664 |   |
| Amortization of debt expense, premium, net                                |   |                      | 688     |    |                             |   | 1,997 |   |
| Portion of rentals representative of an interest factor                   |   |                      | 112     |    |                             |   | 510 |   |
| Interest of capitalized lease                                             |   |                      | 498     |    |                             |   | 2,042 |   |
| Total fixed charges                                                       |   | $                         | 26,616  |    |                             | $      | 84,470 |   |
| Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes                   |   | $                         | 191,989 |    |                             | $      | 307,172 |   |
| Plus:  total fixed charges from above                           |   |                      | 26,616  |    |                             |   | 84,470 |   |
| Plus:  amortization of capitalized interest                     |   |                      | 162     |    |                             |   | 467 |   |
| Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes and fixed charges |   | $                         | 218,767 |    |                             | $      | 392,109 |   |
| Ratio of earnings to fixed charges                                        |   |                      | 8.22    |  X |                             |   | 4.64 |  X |
| Total fixed charges from above                                            |   |                      | 26,616  |    |                             |   | 84,470 |   |
| Preferred stock dividends                                                 |   |                      | 18      |    |                             |   | 63 |   |
| Total fixed charges and preferred stock dividends                         |   |                      | 26,634  |    |                             |   | 84,533 |   |
| Ratio of earnings to combined fixed charges and preferred stock dividends |   |                      | 8.21    |  X |                             |   | 4.64 |  X |

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