Pension Plan and Employee Benefits (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2014

401(k) Plan [Abstract]

401(k) Plan expense

Cleco’s 401(k) Plan expense for the three monthsended March 31, 2014 and 2013 is as follows:

	FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MAR. 31,
(THOUSANDS)	2014		2013
401(k) Plan expense	$	1,369	$	1,279

Pension Benefits [Member]

Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]

Net periodic benefit costs

The components of net periodic pension and other benefit cost for the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013, are as follows:

	PENSION BENEFITS						OTHER BENEFITS
	FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MAR. 31,
(THOUSANDS)	2014			2013			2014		2013
Components of periodic benefit cost:
Service cost	$	2,005		$	2,484		$	405	$	314
Interest cost	4,930			4,437			463		481
Expected return on plan assets	(6,083		)	(5,764		)	—		—
Amortizations:
Transition obligation	—			—			5		4
Prior period service cost (credit)	(18		)	(18		)	30		—
Net loss	1,713			3,373			177		318
Net periodic benefit cost	$	2,547		$	4,512		$	1,080	$	1,117

SERP Benefits [Member]

Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]

Net periodic benefit costs

The components of net periodic SERP benefit cost for the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013, are as follows:

	FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MAR. 31,
(THOUSANDS)	2014		2013
Components of periodic benefit cost:
Service cost	$	468	$	506
Interest cost	725		678
Amortizations:
Prior period service cost	12		14
Net loss	385		536
Net periodic benefit cost	$	1,590	$	1,734