Pension Plan and Employee Benefits (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2013

Cleco’s 401(k) Plan expense for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013 and 2012 is as follows:



	FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED SEPT. 30,				FOR THE NINE MONTHS ENDED SEPT. 30,
(THOUSANDS)	2013		2012		2013		2012
401(k) Plan expense	$	936	$	963	$	3,361	$	3,303

Pension Benefits [Member]

The components of net periodic pension and other benefit cost for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013 and 2012, are as follows:



	PENSION BENEFITS						OTHER BENEFITS
	FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED SEPT. 30,
(THOUSANDS)	2013			2012			2013		2012
Components of periodic benefit cost:
Service cost	$	2,472		$	2,078		$	614	$	303
Interest cost	4,485			4,563			214		334
Expected return on plan assets	(5,861		)	(5,201		)	—		—
Amortizations:
Transition obligation	—			—			6		5
Prior period service credit	(18		)	(18		)	—		—
Net loss	3,304			2,087			213		112
Net periodic benefit cost	$	4,382		$	3,509		$	1,047	$	754



	PENSION BENEFITS						OTHER BENEFITS
	FOR THE NINE MONTHS ENDED SEPT. 30,
(THOUSANDS)	2013			2012			2013		2012
Components of periodic benefit cost:
Service cost	$	7,417		$	6,234		$	1,242	$	1,096
Interest cost	13,455			13,690			1,176		1,287
Expected return on plan assets	(17,584		)	(15,604		)	—		—
Amortizations:
Transition obligation	—			—			15		15
Prior period service credit	(53		)	(53		)	—		—
Net loss	9,913			6,259			849		512
Net periodic benefit cost	$	13,148		$	10,526		$	3,282	$	2,910

SERP Benefits [Member]

The components of net periodic SERP benefit cost for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013 and 2012, are as follows:



	FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED SEPT. 30,				FOR THE NINE MONTHS ENDED SEPT. 30,
(THOUSANDS)	2013		2012		2013		2012
Components of periodic benefit cost:
Service cost	$	514	$	372	$	1,541	$	1,115
Interest cost	645		632		1,934		1,895
Amortizations:
Prior period service cost	13		13		40		40
Net loss	576		441		1,728		1,324
Net periodic benefit cost	$	1,748	$	1,458	$	5,243	$	4,374