EXHIBIT 5(a)


January 8, 1996


Louisiana Power & Light Company
639 Loyola Avenue
New Orleans, LA  70113

Ladies and Gentlemen:

          I refer to the Registration Statement on Form S-3,
including the exhibits thereto, which Louisiana Power & Light
Company (the "Company") proposes to file with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "Commission") on or shortly after the
date hereof, for the registration under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, of $350,000,000 in aggregate principal amount
of its Debt Securities (the "Securities") to be issued in one or
more new series, and for the qualification under the Trust
Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, of the Company's Indenture for
Debt Securities, as proposed to be supplemented, under which the
Securities are to be issued (the "Indenture").  I advise you that
in my opinion:

          (1)  The Company is a corporation duly organized and
     validly existing under the laws of the State of Louisiana.

          (2)  All action necessary to make valid and legal the
     proposed issuance and sale by the Company of the Securities
     will have been taken when:

                    (a)       the Company's said Registration
          Statement on Form S-3, as it may be amended, shall have
          become effective in accordance with the applicable
          provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
          and a supplement or supplements to the prospectus
          specifying certain details with respect to the offering
          or offerings of the Securities shall have been filed
          with the Commission, and the Indenture shall have been
          qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as
          amended;

                    (b)       the related Application-Declaration
          on Form U-1, File No. 70-8487, as amended, shall have
          been granted and permitted to become effective with
          respect to the issuance and sale of the Securities in
          accordance with an appropriate order or orders of the
          Commission under the Public Utility Holding Company Act
          of 1935;

                    (c)       appropriate action shall have been
          taken by the Board of Directors of the Company and/or
          by the Executive Committee thereof and/or by an
          Authorized Officer thereof for the purpose of
          authorizing the consummation of the issuance and sale
          of the Securities;

                    (d)       the specific terms of each Security
          shall have been determined by supplemental indenture,
          board resolution or officer's certificate; and

                    (e)       the Securities shall have been
          issued and delivered for the consideration contemplated
          by, and otherwise in conformity with, the acts,
          proceedings and documents referred to above.

          (3)  When the foregoing steps applicable to the
     Securities shall have been taken, the Securities will have
     been legally issued and will be valid and binding
     obligations of the Company enforceable in accordance with
     their terms, except as limited by bankruptcy, insolvency,
     reorganization or other laws affecting the enforcement of
     mortgagees' and other creditors' rights.

          This opinion does not pass upon the matter of
compliance with "blue sky" laws or similar laws relating to the
sale or distribution of the Securities by underwriters.

          I am a member of the Louisiana State Bar and do not
hold myself out as an expert on the laws of any other state.  As
to all matters of New York law, I have relied upon an opinion of
even date herewith addressed to you by Reid & Priest LLP, counsel
to the Company.

          I hereby consent to the use of this opinion as an
exhibit to the Company's Registration Statement on Form S-3 and
consent to such references to my opinion as may be made in the
Registration Statement and in the Prospectus constituting a part
thereof.

                              Very truly yours,
                              
                              
                              
                              Laurence M. Hamric
                              General Attorney -
                              Corporate and
                              Securities