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| 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, 2009        |   |    |                                  |   |
| Earnings      from continuing operations                                            |   | $                               | 59,855  |    |                           | $      | 93,530  |                                  |   | $ | 107,079 |   |
| Equity      income/loss and dividends from investees                                |   |                            | (14,208 | )       |                           |   | 669     |                                  |   |   | 8,933 |   |
| Income      taxes                                                                   |   |                            | 4,983   |    |                           |   | 13,258  |                                  |   |   | 9,142 |   |
| Earnings      from continuing operations before income taxes                        |   | $                               | 50,630  |    |                           | $      | 107,457 |                                  |   | $ | 125,154 |   |
| Fixed      charges:                                                                 |   |                            |    |    |                           |   |    |                                  |   |   |   |   |
| Interest, long-term      debt                                                       |   | $                               | 15,713  |    |                           | $      | 49,122  |                                  |   | $ | 64,751 |   |
| Interest, other (including      interest on short-term debt)                        |   |                            | 1,063   |    |                           |   | 7,951   |                                  |   |   | 13,906 |   |
| Amortization of debt expense,      premium, net                                     |   |                            | 585     |    |                           |   | 1,754   |                                  |   |   | 2,328 |   |
| Portion of rentals      representative of an interest factor                        |   |                            | 134     |    |                           |   | 383     |                                  |   |   | 529 |   |
| Interest, capitalized      lease                                                    |   |                            | 515     |    |                           |   | 1,452   |                                  |   |   | 1,452 |   |
| Total      fixed charges                                                            |   | $                               | 18,010  |    |                           | $      | 60,662  |                                  |   | $ | 82,966 |   |
| Earnings      from continuing operations before income taxes                        |   | $                               | 50,630  |    |                           | $      | 107,457 |                                  |   | $ | 125,154 |   |
| Plus:  total fixed      charges from above                                |   |                            | 18,010  |    |                           |   | 60,662  |                                  |   |   | 82,966 |   |
| Plus:  amortization of      capitalized interest                          |   |                            | 102     |    |                           |   | 305     |                                  |   |   | 407 |   |
| Earnings      from continuing operations before income taxes and fixed      charges |   | $                               | 68,742  |    |                           | $      | 168,424 |                                  |   | $ | 208,527 |   |
| Ratio      of earnings to fixed charges                                             |   |                            | 3.82    |  X |                           |   | 2.78    |  X                               |   |   | 2.51 |  X |
| Total      fixed charges from above                                                 |   |                            | 18,010  |    |                           |   | 60,662  |                                  |   |   | 82,966 |   |
| Preferred      stock dividends                                                      |   |                            | 13      |    |                           |   | 40      |                                  |   |   | 50 |   |
| Total      fixed charges and preferred stock dividends                              |   |                            | 18,023  |    |                           |   | 60,702  |                                  |   |   | 83,016 |   |
| Ratio      of earnings to combined fixed charges and preferred stock      dividends |   |                            | 3.81    |  X |                           |   | 2.77    |  X                               |   |   | 2.51 |  X |

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