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

|                                                                                |   | FOR      THE THREE MONTHS      ENDED |   |    | FOR      THE SIX MONTHS      ENDED |   |    | FOR      THE TWELVE MONTHS      ENDED |   |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|--------------------------------------|--------|---------|------------------------------------|--------|---------|--------------------------------------------|--------|
| (THOUSANDS,      EXCEPT RATIOS)                                                     |   |                                 |   |    | JUNE      30, 2008                 |   |    |                                       |   |
| Earnings      from continuing operations                                            |   | $                                    | 29,389 |    |                               | $      | 51,460  |                                       |   | $ | 131,413 |   |
| Equity      income/loss and dividends from investees                                |   |                                 | 10,225 |    |                               |   | 14,799  |                                       |   |   | 4,116 |   |
| Income      taxes                                                                   |   |                                 | 6,999  |    |                               |   | 12,060  |                                       |   |   | 49,721 |   |
| Earnings      from continuing operations before income taxes                        |   | $                                    | 46,613 |    |                               | $      | 78,319  |                                       |   | $ | 185,250 |   |
| Fixed      charges:                                                                 |   |                                 |   |    |                               |   |    |                                       |   |   |   |   |
| Interest, long-term      debt                                                       |   | $                                    | 12,468 |    |                               | $      | 23,593  |                                       |   | $ | 43,464 |   |
| Interest, other (including      interest on short-term debt)                        |   |                                 | 1,934  |    |                               |   | 4,577   |                                       |   |   | 6,796 |   |
| Amortization of debt expense,      premium, net                                     |   |                                 | 545    |    |                               |   | 1,095   |                                       |   |   | 2,082 |   |
| Portion of rentals      representative of an interest factor                        |   |                                 | 125    |    |                               |   | 245     |                                       |   |   | 499 |   |
| Total      fixed charges                                                            |   | $                                    | 15,072 |    |                               | $      | 29,510  |                                       |   | $ | 52,841 |   |
| Earnings      from continuing operations before income taxes                        |   | $                                    | 46,613 |    |                               | $      | 78,319  |                                       |   | $ | 185,250 |   |
| Plus:  total fixed      charges from above                                |   |                                 | 15,072 |    |                               |   | 29,510  |                                       |   |   | 52,841 |   |
| Plus:  amortization of      capitalized interest                          |   |                                 | 102    |    |                               |   | 204     |                                       |   |   | 407 |   |
| Earnings      from continuing operations before income taxes and fixed      charges |   | $                                    | 61,787 |    |                               | $      | 108,033 |                                       |   | $ | 238,498 |   |
| Ratio      of earnings to fixed charges                                             |   |                                 | 4.10   |  X |                               |   | 3.66    |  X                                    |   |   | 4.51 |  X |
| Total      fixed charges from above                                                 |   |                                 | 15,072 |    |                               |   | 29,510  |                                       |   |   | 52,841 |   |
| Preferred      stock dividends                                                      |   |                                 | 14     |    |                               |   | 29      |                                       |   |   | 64 |   |
| Total      fixed charges and preferred stock dividends                              |   |                                 | 15,086 |    |                               |   | 29,539  |                                       |   |   | 52,905 |   |
| Ratio      of earnings to combined fixed charges and preferred stock      dividends |   |                                 | 4.10   |  X |                               |   | 3.66    |  X                                    |   |   | 4.51 |  X |

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