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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, 2009            |   |   |                        |   |
| Earnings from continuing operations                                       |   | $                          | 27,026 |    |                     | $      | 33,675 |                        |   | $ | 84,356 |   |
| Equity income/loss and dividends from investees                           |   |                       | 3,125  |    |                     |   | 14,876 |                        |   |   | 14,405 |   |
| Income taxes                                                              |   |                       | 6,949  |    |                     |   | 8,275  |                        |   |   | 14,673 |   |
| Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes                   |   | $                          | 37,100 |    |                     | $      | 56,826 |                        |   | $ | 113,434 |   |
| Fixed charges:                                                            |   |                       |   |    |                     |   |   |                        |   |   |   |   |
| Interest, long-term debt                                                  |   | $                          | 16,465 |    |                     | $      | 33,409 |                        |   | $ | 55,132 |   |
| Interest, other (including interest on short-term debt)                   |   |                       | 3,104  |    |                     |   | 6,888  |                        |   |   | 26,795 |   |
| Amortization of debt expense, premium, net                                |   |                       | 581    |    |                     |   | 1,169  |                        |   |   | 2,317 |   |
| Portion of rentals representative of an interest factor                   |   |                       | 134    |    |                     |   | 197    |                        |   |   | 513 |   |
| Total fixed charges                                                       |   | $                          | 20,284 |    |                     | $      | 41,663 |                        |   | $ | 84,757 |   |
| Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes                   |   | $                          | 37,100 |    |                     | $      | 56,826 |                        |   | $ | 113,434 |   |
| Plus:  total fixed charges from above                           |   |                       | 20,284 |    |                     |   | 41,663 |                        |   |   | 84,757 |   |
| Plus:  amortization of capitalized interest                     |   |                       | 102    |    |                     |   | 204    |                        |   |   | 407 |   |
| Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes and fixed charges |   | $                          | 57,486 |    |                     | $      | 98,693 |                        |   | $ | 198,598 |   |
| Ratio of earnings to fixed charges                                        |   |                       | 2.83   |  x |                     |   | 2.37   |  x                     |   |   | 2.34 |  x |
| Total fixed charges from above                                            |   |                       | 20,284 |    |                     |   | 41,663 |                        |   |   | 84,757 |   |
| Preferred stock dividends                                                 |   |                       | 15     |    |                     |   | 29     |                        |   |   | 54 |   |
| Total fixed charges and preferred stock dividends                         |   |                       | 20,299 |    |                     |   | 41,692 |                        |   |   | 84,811 |   |
| Ratio of earnings to combined fixed charges and preferred stock dividends |   |                       | 2.83   |  x |                     |   | 2.37   |  x                     |   |   | 2.34 |  x |

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