8-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8‑K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of

the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): March 18, 2004

CLECO CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Louisiana	1-15759	72-1445282
(State or other jurisdiction	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer
of incorporation)		Identification No.)

2030 Donahue Ferry Road
Pineville, Louisiana	71360-5226
(Address of principal executive offices)	(Zip Code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (318) 484-7400

CLECO POWER LLC

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Louisiana	1-05663	72-0244480
(State or other jurisdiction	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer
of incorporation)		Identification No.)

2030 Donahue Ferry Road
Pineville, Louisiana	71360-5226
(Address of principal executive offices)	(Zip Code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (318) 484-7400

Item 5.            Other Events and Regulation FD Disclosure.

On March 18, 2004, Cleco Corporation announced that the Louisiana Public Service Commission (LPSC) approved a one-year extension of the rate stabilization plan of Cleco Power LLC, Cleco's regulated utility subsidiary.  With the extension, the rate stabilization plan will expire in September 2005.  Cleco Power had requested that the LPSC grant the extension to allow it to evaluate the results of a request for proposals for sources of power that it expects to issue mid-2004. 

Item 7.             Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(c) Exhibits.

The following exhibit is furnished herewith:

99.1     Press release issued March 18, 2004 regarding the extension of Cleco Power LLC's rate stabilization plan.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

	CLECO CORPORATION
Date: March 18, 2004	By:   /s/ Kathleen F. Nolen
	Kathleen F. Nolen
	Treasurer

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

	CLECO POWER LLC
Date: March 18, 2004	By:   /s/ Kathleen F. Nolen
	Kathleen F. Nolen
	Treasurer

EXHIBIT INDEX 

Exhibit Number	Exhibit Description
99.1	Press release issued March 18, 2004 regarding the extension of Cleco Power LLC's rate stabilization plan.

EX-99.1

     EXHIBIT 99.1

                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                   

Cleco Corporation

2030 Donahue Ferry Road

PO Box 5000

Pineville, LA 71361-5000

Tel 318 484-7400

www.cleco.com       

                                                     NEWS RELEASE        

Investor Contacts:
Cleco Corporation:	Analyst Inquiries:	Media Contact:
Kathleen F. Nolen	Dresner Companies	Cleco Corporation
(318) 484-7687	Kristine Walczak	Susan Broussard
Rodney J. Hamilton	(312) 726-3600	(318) 484-7773
(318) 484-7593

 For Immediate Release

 Cleco Power LLC rate stabilization plan extended one year

PINEVILLE, La., March 18, 2004 - Cleco Corp. (NYSE, PCX: CNL) today announced the Louisiana Public Service Commission (LPSC) has approved a one-year extension of its regulated utility's rate stabilization plan to September 2005.

Cleco Power LLC had asked that the plan, which was set to expire in September 2004, be extended 12 months to allow time for the utility to evaluate the results of its new request for proposals (RFP) for sources of power. In early February, Cleco Power filed its notice of intent to issue an RFP. The company currently plans to issue the RFP midyear 2004.

"In addition, we're in the process of updating our integrated resource plan. We're looking at a wide range of options to provide our customers with a supply of stable, competitively priced power," Cleco Power President and Chief Operating Officer Michael Madison said.

"We'll evaluate all of the options offered through both our integrated resource planning process and the RFP to identify the most economic sources available to fill our customers' long-term power needs," Madison said. "In the meantime, we'll replace expiring power contracts on a short-term basis as needed."

Cleco Power has agreed to terms on a one-year contract to purchase up to 500 megawatts from Calpine Energy Services. That agreement, which replaces contracts expiring at the end of 2004, will be submitted to the LPSC once it is finalized.

The rate stabilization plan was extended under the same terms and conditions as the existing agreement.

Cleco Corp. is an energy services company headquartered in Pineville, La. It operates a regulated electric utility that serves 264,000 customers across Louisiana. Cleco also operates a wholesale energy

business that has approximately 2,100 megawatts of generating capacity, including the Perryville plant, a 718-megawatt plant whose sale to a subsidiary of Entergy is pending. For more information about Cleco, visit www.cleco.com.

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Cleco Corporation
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Please note:  This news release contains forward-looking statements about future results and circumstances with respect to which there are many risks and uncertainties, including the weather and other natural phenomena, state and federal legislative and regulatory initiatives, the timing and extent of changes in commodity prices and interest rates, the operating performance of Cleco Power's and Midstream's facilities, the financial condition of the Company's tolling agreement counterparties, the performance of the tolling agreements by such counterparties, the completion of the pending sale of the Perryville plant, the resolution of damage claims against Mirant Corp. and certain of its subsidiaries, and the other risks and uncertainties more fully described in the Company's latest Annual Report on Form 10-K.  Actual results may differ materially from those indicated in such forward-looking statements.

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