----

**EXHIBIT 12(b)**

**CLECO POWER Computation of Earnings to Fixed Charges**

**(Unaudited)**

|                            |  |  For the      |  | For the                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |  |  For the      |  |
|----------------------------|--|--------------------|--|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--|--------------------|--|
|                            |  |  three        |  | nine                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |  |  twelve       |  |
|                            |  |  months ended |  | months ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |  |  months ended |  |
| (Thousands, except ratios) |  | September 30, 2004 |  |  
Earnings from continuing operations

$

16,792 

$

38,695     

$

50,603     

 
Income taxes

9,450 

22,044     

27,628     

 
 
Earnings from operations before income  taxes

$

26,242 

$

60,739     

$

78,231     

 
 
Fixed charges:

 
Interest, long-term debt

$

6,729 

$

20,174     

$

26,850     

 
Interest, other (including interest on  short-term debt)

512 

397     

849     

 
Amortization of debt expense, premium,  net

453 

1,350     

1,790     

 
Portion of rentals representative of an  interest factor

76 

242     

319     

 
 
Total fixed charges

$

7,770 

$

22,163     

$

29,808     

 
 
Earnings from continuing operations  before income taxes

$

26,242 

$

60,739     

$

78,231     

 
Plus:  total fixed charges from above

7,770 

22,163     

29,808     

 
 
Earnings from continuing operations  before income taxes

 
and fixed charges

$

34,012 

$

82,902     

$

108,039     

 
 
Ratio of earnings to fixed charges

4.38 

x

3.74     

x

3.62     

x

 
  |