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EXHIBIT 12(a)

CLECO CORPORATION

COMPUTATION OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

AND EARNINGS TO COMBINED FIXED CHARGES

AND PREFERRED STOCK DIVIDENDS

(UNAUDITED)



|                                                          |                                                           | For the      |                              | For the      |        | For the      |   |       
|--------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------- | ------------ | ---------------------------- | ------------ | ------ | ------------ | - | ------
|                                                          |                                                           | three        |                              | six          |        | twelve       |   |       
|                                                          |                                                           | months ended |                              | months ended |        | months ended |   |       
|                                                          |                                                           |              | June 30, 2004                |              |       
|                                                          |                                                           |              | (Thousands, except
  ratios) |              |       
|                                                          |                                                           |              |                              |              |        |              |   |       
|Earnings from
  continuing operations                     | $                                                         | 10,969       |                              | $            | 24,189 |              | $ | 42,895
|Federal
  and state income taxes                          |                                                           | 7,919        |                              |              | 13,450 |              |   | 24,441
|                                                          |                                                           |              |                              |              |        |              |   |       
|Earnings from
  continuing operations before income taxes | $                                                         | 18,888       |                              | $            | 37,639 |              | $ | 67,336
|                                                          |                                                           |              |                              |              |        |              |   |       
|Fixed charges:                                            |                                                           |              |                              |              |        |              |   |       
|                                                          | Interest, long-term
  debt                                | $            | 10,571                       |              | $      | 25,678       |   | $     
|                                                          | Interest, other
  (including interest on short-term debt) |              | (282)                        |              |        | 1,624        |   |       
|                                                          | Amortization of debt
  expense, premium, net              |              | 807                          |              |        | 1,712        |   |       
|                                                          | Portion of rentals
  representative of an interest factor |              | 82                           |              |        | 167          |   |       
|                                                          |                                                           |              |                              |              |        |              |   |       
|Total fixed charges                                       | $                                                         | 11,178       |                              | $            | 29,181 |              | $ | 65,096
|                                                          |                                                           |              |                              |              |        |              |   |       
|Earnings from
  continuing operations before income taxes | $                                                         | 18,888       |                              | $            | 37,639 |              | $ | 67,336
|                                                          | Plus:  total fixed
  charges                              |              | 11,178                       |              |        | 29,181       |   |       
|                                                          | Plus:  amortization of
  capitalized interest             |              | 102                          |              |        | 281          |   |       
|                                                          |                                                           |              |                              |              |        |              |   |       
|Earnings from
  continuing operations before income taxes |                                                           |              |                              |              |        |              |   |       
|                                                          | and fixed charges                                         | $            | 30,168                       |              | $      | 67,101       |   | $     
|                                                          |                                                           |              |                              |              |        |              |   |       
|Ratio of earnings to
  fixed charges                      |                                                           | 2.70         | X                            |              | 2.30   | X            |   | 2.04  
|                                                          |                                                           |              |                              |              |        |              |   |       
|Total fixed charges
  from above                          | $                                                         | 11,178       |                              | $            | 29,181 |              | $ | 65,096
|Preferred stock
  dividends                               |                                                           | 885          |                              |              | 923    |              |   | 828   
|                                                          |                                                           |              |                              |              |        |              |   |       
|Total fixed charges and
  preferred stock dividends       | $                                                         | 12,063       |                              | $            | 30,104 |              | $ | 65,924
|                                                          |                                                           |              |                              |              |        |              |   |       
|Ratio of earnings to
  combined fixed charges             |                                                           |              |                              |              |        |              |   |       
|                                                          | and preferred stock
  dividends                           |              | 2.50                         | X            |        | 2.23         | X |       
|                                                          |                                                           |              |                              |              |        |              |   |       

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