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 
June 30, 2001 | For the six months ended 
June 30, 2001 | For the twelve months ended 
June 30, 2001
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------
|                                                                                | (In thousands except ratios)             
|                                                                                |                                           |                                         |                                           
|Earnings                                                                        | $  14,069                                 | $  26,170                               | $    66,206                               
|Income taxes                                                                    | 7,924                                     | 14,048                                  | 34,706                                    
|                                                                                |                                           |                                         |                                           
|Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes                         | $  21,993                                 | $  40,218                               | $  100,912                                
|                                                                                | ======                                    | ======                                  | =======                                   
|                                                                                |                                           |                                         |                                           
|Fixed charges:                                                                  |                                           |                                         |                                           
|Interest, long-term debt                                                        | $  15,338                                 | $  30,655                               | $    61,033                               
|Interest, other (including interest on short-term debt)                         | 1,920                                     | 3,850                                   | 4,158                                     
|Amortization of debt expense, premium, net                                      | 279                                       | 558                                     | 1,123                                     
|Portion of rentals representative of an interest factor                         | 123                                       | 287                                     | 544                                       
|                                                                                |                                           |                                         |                                           
|Total fixed charges                                                             | $  17,660                                 | $  35,350                               | $    66,858                               
|                                                                                | ======                                    | ======                                  | =======                                   
|                                                                                |                                           |                                         |                                           
|Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes                         | $  21,993                                 | $  40,218                               | $  100,912                                
|Plus: total fixed charges from above                                            | 17,660                                    | 35,350                                  | 66,858                                    
|Plus: amortization of capitalized interest                                      | 119                                       | 278                                     | 720                                       
|Less: long-term interest capitalized                                            | (4,629)                                   | (9,018)                                 | (15,931)                                  
|                                                                                |                                           |                                         |                                           
|Earnings from continuing operations before income 
     taxes and fixed charges | $  35,143                                 | $  66,828                               | $ 152,559                                 
|                                                                                | ======                                    | ======                                  | =======                                   
|                                                                                |                                           |                                         |                                           
|Ratio of earnings to fixed charges                                              | 1.99x                                     | 1.89x                                   | 2.28x                                     
|                                                                                | ======                                    | ======                                  | =======                                   
|                                                                                |                                           |                                         |                                           
|Total fixed charges from above                                                  | $  17,660                                 | 35,350                                  | $   66,858                                
|Preferred stock dividends*                                                      | 550                                       | 1,121                                   | 2,255                                     
|                                                                                |                                           |                                         |                                           
|Total fixed charges and preferred stock dividends                               | $  18,215                                 | $  36,472                               | $   69,113                                
|                                                                                | ======                                    | ======                                  | =======                                   
|Ratio of earnings to combined fixed charges and 
     preferred stock dividends | 1.93x                                     | 1.83x                                   | 2.21x                                     
|                                                                                | ======                                    | ======                                  | =======                                   

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