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

 

Computation of Ratios of Earningsto Fixed Charges and of Earnings to Combined Fixed Charges and Preferred Stock Dividends 

|                                                                                   | **FOR THE THREE	MONTHS ENDED**                                                  |       | **FOR	THE TWELVE	MONTHS ENDED**                                                  | ** ** |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------|
| (THOUSANDS, EXCEPT RATIOS)                                                        | **MARCH****31, 2006**                                                           |
| Earnings from continuing operations                                               | ** $  12,225**                                                        |       | **  $  185,628**                                                       | ** ** |
| Less:  undistributed equity income (loss) from  investees                    | **       (2,399)**                                |       | **       78,912**                                  | ** ** |
| Plus:  income taxes                                                          | **        6,113**                            |       | **     116,069**                                             | ** ** |
| Earnings from continuing operations before income  taxes                          | ** $  20,737**                                                        |       | **  $  222,785**                                                       | ** ** |
| Fixed charges:                                                                    |                                                                                 |       | ** **                                                                       | ** ** |
|      Interest, long-term debt                                 | ** $  10,168**                                                        |       | **  $    35,215**                                            | ** ** |
|      Interest, other (including interest on  short-term debt) | **           556**            |       | **         3,056**                       | ** ** |
|      Amortization of debt expense, premium, net               | **           452**            |       | **         2,224**                       | ** ** |
|      Portion of rentals representative of an  interest factor | **             83** |       | **             285** | ** ** |
| Total fixed charges                                                               | ** $  11,259**                                                        |       | **  $    40,780**                                            | ** ** |
| Earnings from continuing operations before income  taxes                          | ** $  20,737**                                                        |       | **  $  222,785**                                                       | ** ** |
|      Plus:  total fixed charges from above               | **      11,259**                                       |       | **       40,780**                                  | ** ** |
|      Plus:  amortization of capitalized interest         | **           102**            |       | **             407** | ** ** |
| Earnings from continuing operations before income  taxes and fixed charges        | ** $  32,098**                                                        |       | **  $  263,972**                                                       | ** ** |
| Ratio of earnings to fixed charges                                                | **          2.85**                 | **x** | **            6.47**      | **x**      |
| Total fixed charges from above                                                    | **     11,259**                                             |       | **       40,780**                                  |            |
| Preferred stock dividends                                                         | **           475**            |       | **         1,888**                       |            |
| Total fixed charges and preferred stock dividends                                 | **      11,734**                                       |       | **       42,668**                                  |            |
| Ratio of earnings to combined fixed charges and  preferred stock dividends        | **          2.74**                 | **x** | **            6.19**      | **x**      |

 

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