----

----

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

|                                                                                |   | FOR      THE THREE MONTHS      ENDED |   |    | FOR      THE NINE MONTHS      ENDED |   |    | FOR      THE TWELVE MONTHS      ENDED |   |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|--------------------------------------|--------|---------|-------------------------------------|--------|---------|--------------------------------------------|--------|
| (THOUSANDS,      EXCEPT RATIOS)                                                     |   |                                 |   |    | SEPTEMBER      30, 2008             |   |    |                                       |   |
| Earnings      from continuing operations                                            |   | $                                    | 37,133 |    |                                | $      | 88,593  |                                       |   | $ | 100,501 |   |
| Equity      income/loss and dividends from investees                                |   |                                 | (8,832 | )       |                                |   | 5,967   |                                       |   |   | 22,962 |   |
| Income      taxes                                                                   |   |                                 | 10,513 |    |                                |   | 22,573  |                                       |   |   | 30,158 |   |
| Earnings      from continuing operations before income taxes                        |   | $                                    | 38,814 |    |                                | $      | 117,133 |                                       |   | $ | 153,621 |   |
| Fixed      charges:                                                                 |   |                                 |   |    |                                |   |    |                                       |   |   |   |   |
| Interest, long-term      debt                                                       |   | $                                    | 14,747 |    |                                | $      | 38,340  |                                       |   | $ | 48,410 |   |
| Interest, other (including      interest on short-term debt)                        |   |                                 | 5,299  |    |                                |   | 9,876   |                                       |   |   | 8,633 |   |
| Amortization of debt expense,      premium, net                                     |   |                                 | 573    |    |                                |   | 1,668   |                                       |   |   | 2,166 |   |
| Portion of rentals      representative of an interest factor                        |   |                                 | 130    |    |                                |   | 375     |                                       |   |   | 502 |   |
| Total      fixed charges                                                            |   | $                                    | 20,749 |    |                                | $      | 50,259  |                                       |   | $ | 59,711 |   |
| Earnings      from continuing operations before income taxes                        |   | $                                    | 38,814 |    |                                | $      | 117,133 |                                       |   | $ | 153,621 |   |
| Plus:  total fixed      charges from above                                |   |                                 | 20,749 |    |                                |   | 50,259  |                                       |   |   | 59,711 |   |
| Plus:  amortization of      capitalized interest                          |   |                                 | 102    |    |                                |   | 305     |                                       |   |   | 407 |   |
| Earnings      from continuing operations before income taxes and fixed      charges |   | $                                    | 59,665 |    |                                | $      | 167,697 |                                       |   | $ | 213,739 |   |
| Ratio      of earnings to fixed charges                                             |   |                                 | 2.88   |  X |                                |   | 3.34    |  X                                    |   |   | 3.58 |  X |
| Total      fixed charges from above                                                 |   |                                 | 20,749 |    |                                |   | 50,259  |                                       |   |   | 59,711 |   |
| Preferred      stock dividends                                                      |   |                                 | 15     |    |                                |   | 44      |                                       |   |   | 60 |   |
| Total      fixed charges and preferred stock dividends                              |   |                                 | 20,764 |    |                                |   | 50,303  |                                       |   |   | 59,771 |   |
| Ratio      of earnings to combined fixed charges and preferred stock      dividends |   |                                 | 2.87   |  X |                                |   | 3.33    |  X                                    |   |   | 3.58 |  X |

----

----