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

|                                                                      |   | FOR THE THREEMONTHS ENDED |   |    | FOR THE TWELVE MONTHS ENDED |   |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|---------------------------|--------|---------|----------------------------------|--------|
| (THOUSANDS, EXCEPT RATIOS)                                                |   | MARCH 31, 2011            |   |
| Earnings from continuing operations                                       |   | $                         | 29,016 |    |                             | $      | 134,437 |   |
| Undistributed equity gain from investees                                  |   |                      | (611   | )       |                             |   | (1,613 | ) |
| Income taxes                                                              |   |                      | 12,195 |    |                             |   | 74,827 |   |
| Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes                   |   | $                         | 40,600 |    |                             | $      | 207,651 |   |
| Fixed charges:                                                            |   |                      |   |    |                             |   |   |   |
| Interest, long-term debt                                                  |   | $                         | 21,916 |    |                             | $      | 81,128 |   |
| Interest, other (including interest on short-term debt)                   |   |                      | 4,628  |    |                             |   | 17,423 |   |
| Amortization of debt expense, premium, net                                |   |                      | 784    |    |                             |   | 3,110 |   |
| Portion of rentals representative of an interest factor                   |   |                      | 113    |    |                             |   | 431 |   |
| Interest of capitalized lease                                             |   |                      | 462    |    |                             |   | 1,903 |   |
| Total fixed charges                                                       |   | $                         | 27,903 |    |                             | $      | 103,995 |   |
| Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes                   |   | $                         | 40,600 |    |                             | $      | 207,651 |   |
| Plus:  total fixed charges from above                           |   |                      | 27,903 |    |                             |   | 103,995 |   |
| Plus:  amortization of capitalized interest                     |   |                      | 128    |    |                             |   | 512 |   |
| Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes and fixed charges |   | $                         | 68,631 |    |                             | $      | 312,158 |   |
| Ratio of earnings to fixed charges                                        |   |                      | 2.46   |  x |                             |   | 3.00 |  x |
| Total fixed charges from above                                            |   |                      | 27,903 |    |                             |   | 103,995 |   |
| Preferred stock dividends                                                 |   |                      | 16     |    |                             |   | 72 |   |
| Total fixed charges and preferred stock dividends                         |   |                      | 27,919 |    |                             |   | 104,067 |   |
| Ratio of earnings to combined fixed charges and preferred stock dividends |   |                      | 2.46   |  x |                             |   | 3.00 |  x |

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