CNL Cleco Corp.

Cleco Power's (Cleco) new multi-fuel power generator, Madison 3, is included as a finalist in the category of Construction Project of the Year in the annual Platts Global Energy Awards. Madison 3 is located near Boyce and went into service in February.

A panel of international industry experts chose the finalists, which are considered best-in-class performers in the energy industry.

Built by The Shaw Group Inc., the project's Engineering, Procurement and Construction contractor, Madison 3 is among the largest circulating fluidized-bed units in the world. This technology allows the two 330-megawatt boilers to use a wide range of solid fuels to generate electricity, providing Cleco greater fuel flexibility and the capability to use biomass. The company is currently generating power using petroleum coke, a waste product from the oil refining industry.

"To garner recognition from international experts through the Platts Global Energy Awards is huge for our company," said Mike Madison, president and CEO of Cleco Corp. "We are honored to be among the other companies considered as finalists. This is certainly a list of who's who in our industry."

Other Construction of the Year finalists include First Energy, Bechtel Power Corporation, Plum Point Power Partners, Florida Power & Light, URS Corp, Constellation Energy, Allegheny Energy, Detroit Edison and Salt River Project.

"The Platts Award recognizes excellence in leadership, innovation and performance in the global energy industry," said Clarence Ray, chief executive officer of Shaw's Power Group. "Naming Madison 3 as a finalist further solidifies the project as a skillful use of the most advanced clean-coal technology in the industry."

Finalists in all of the 17 categories are invited to attend an awards celebration to announce winners Dec. 2 in New York City.

Cleco Corp. (NYSE: CNL) is a regional energy company headquartered in Pineville, La. It operates a regulated electric utility company, Cleco Power LLC, which serves about 277,000 retail customers across Louisiana. Cleco also operates a wholesale energy business, Cleco Midstream Resources LLC, which includes the pending sale of Acadia Power Station Unit 2. This year marks the 75th anniversary of Cleco Power serving Louisiana customers. For more information about Cleco, visit www.cleco.com.

The Shaw Group Inc. (NYSE: SHAW) is a leading global provider of engineering, construction, technology, fabrication, remediation and support services for clients in the energy, chemicals, environmental, infrastructure and emergency response industries. A Fortune 500 company with fiscal year 2009 annual revenues of $7.3 billion, Shaw has approximately 28,000 employees around the world and is the power sector industry leader according to Engineering News-Record's list of Top 500 Design Firms.

Media Contact: Cleco Corp. Robbyn Cooper (318) 484-7136