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Exhibit 12(a)

CLECO CORPORATION
COMPUTATION OF RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
AND EARNINGS TO COMBINED FIXED CHARGES
AND PREFERRED STOCK DIVIDENDS(UNAUDITED)

|                                                                                | For the
three
months ended | For the 
twelve 
months ended
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------- | -----------------------------
|                                                                                | March 31, 2002            
|                                                                                | (Thousands, except ratios)
|                                                                                |                            |                              
|Earnings from continuing operations                                             | $  14,053                  | $   74,226                   
|Income taxes                                                                    | 8,102                      | 40,337                       
|                                                                                |                            |                              
|Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes                         | $  22,155                  | $ 114,563                    
|                                                                                | ======                     | =======                      
|Fixed charges:                                                                  |                            |                              
|Interest, long-term debt                                                        | $  12,978                  | $   51,170                   
|Interest, other (including interest on short-term debt)                         | 1,193                      | 3,857                        
|Amortization of debt expense, premium, net                                      | 517                        | 1,886                        
|Portion of rentals representative of an interest factor                         | 185                        | 670                          
|                                                                                |                            |                              
|Total fixed charges                                                             | $  14,873                  | $   57,583                   
|                                                                                | ======                     | =======                      
|Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes                         | $  22,155                  | $ 114,563                    
|Plus: total fixed charges from above                                            | 14,873                     | 57,583                       
|Plus: amortization of capitalized interest                                      | 129                        | 517                          
|Less: long-term interest capitalized                                            | (2,672)                    | (10,593)                     
|                                                                                |                            |                              
|Earnings from continuing operations before income 
     taxes and fixed charges | $  34,485                  | $ 162,070                    
|                                                                                | ======                     | =======                      
|Ratio of earnings to fixed charges                                              | 2.32 x                     | 2.81 x                       
|                                                                                | ======                     | =======                      
|Total fixed charges from above                                                  | $  14,873                  | $   57,583                   
|Preferred stock dividends*                                                      | 557                        | 2,218                        
|                                                                                |                            |                              
|Total fixed charges and preferred stock dividends                               | $  15,430                  | $   59,801                   
|                                                                                | ======                     | =======                      
|Ratio of earnings to combined fixed charges and 
     preferred stock dividends | 2.23 x                     | 2.71 x                       
|                                                                                | ======                     | =======                      



*  Preferred stock dividends multiplied by the ratio of pretax income to net income.

50

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