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
nine
months ended | For the twelve months ended
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------- | ------------------------- | ---------------------------
|                                                                                | September 30, 2001        
|                                                                                |                           
|                                                                                | (Thousands, except ratios)
|                                                                                |                            |                           |                            
|Earnings from continuing operations                                             | $  31,120                  | $  57,290                 | $  66,009                  
|Income taxes                                                                    | 17,095                     | 31,144                    | 34,076                     
|                                                                                |                            |                           |                            
|Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes                         | $  48,215                  | $  88,434                 | $ 100,085                  
|                                                                                | ======                     | ======                    | ======                     
|                                                                                |                            |                           |                            
|Fixed charges:                                                                  |                            |                           |                            
|Interest, long-term debt                                                        | $  12,789                  | $  38,935                 | $  52,053                  
|Interest, other (including interest on short-term debt)                         | 1,645                      | 5,403                     | 9,588                      
|Amortization of debt expense, premium, net                                      | 488                        | 1,046                     | 1,326                      
|Portion of rentals representative of an interest factor                         | 130                        | 414                       | 544                        
|                                                                                |                            |                           |                            
|Total fixed charges                                                             | $  15,052                  | $  45,798                 | $  63,511                  
|                                                                                | ======                     | ======                    | ======                     
|                                                                                |                            |                           |                            
|Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes                         | $  48,215                  | $  88,434                 | $ 100,085                  
|Plus: total fixed charges from above                                            | 15,052                     | 45,798                    | 63,511                     
|Plus: amortization of capitalized interest                                      | 99                         | 296                       | 395                        
|Less: long-term interest capitalized                                            | (2,873)                    | (7,290)                   | (8,842)                    
|                                                                                |                            |                           |                            
|Earnings from continuing operations before income 
     taxes and fixed charges | $  60,493                  | $ 127,238                 | $ 155,149                  
|                                                                                | ======                     | ======                    | ======                     
|                                                                                |                            |                           |                            
|Ratio of earnings to fixed charges                                              | 4.02x                      | 2.78x                     | 2.44x                      
|                                                                                | ======                     | ======                    | ======                     
|                                                                                |                            |                           |                            
|Total fixed charges from above                                                  | $  15,052                  | $  45,798                 | $  63,511                  
|Preferred stock dividends*                                                      | 554                        | 1,676                     | 2,241                      
|                                                                                |                            |                           |                            
|Total fixed charges and preferred stock dividends                               | $  15,606                  | $  47,474                 | $  65,752                  
|                                                                                | ======                     | ======                    | ======                     
|                                                                                |                            |                           |                            
|Ratio of earnings to combined fixed charges and 
     preferred stock dividends | 3.88x                      | 2.68x                     | 2.36x                      
|                                                                                | ======                     | ======                    | ======                     

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