Pension Plan and Employee Benefits (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2014

Cleco’s 401(k) Plan expense for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013 is as follows:



	FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED SEPT. 30,				FOR THE NINE MONTHS ENDED SEPT. 30,
(THOUSANDS)	2014		2013		2014		2013
401(k) Plan expense	$	1,015	$	936	$	3,585	$	3,361

Pension Benefits [Member]

The components of net periodic pension and other benefit cost for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013, are as follows:



	PENSION BENEFITS						OTHER BENEFITS
	FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED SEPT. 30,
(THOUSANDS)	2014			2013			2014		2013
Components of periodic benefit cost:
Service cost	$	2,013		$	2,472		$	347	$	614
Interest cost	4,963			4,485			432		214
Expected return on plan assets	(6,127		)	(5,861		)	—		—
Amortizations:
Transition obligation	—			—			2		6
Prior period service cost (credit)	(18		)	(18		)	29		—
Net loss	1,686			3,304			147		213
Net periodic benefit cost	$	2,517		$	4,382		$	957	$	1,047



	PENSION BENEFITS						OTHER BENEFITS
	FOR THE NINE MONTHS ENDED SEPT. 30,
(THOUSANDS)	2014			2013			2014		2013
Components of periodic benefit cost:
Service cost	$	6,038		$	7,417		$	1,157	$	1,242
Interest cost	14,888			13,455			1,357		1,176
Expected return on plan assets	(18,380		)	(17,584		)	—		—
Amortizations:
Transition obligation	—			—			12		15
Prior period service cost (credit)	(53		)	(53		)	89		—
Net loss	5,057			9,913			502		849
Net periodic benefit cost	$	7,550		$	13,148		$	3,117	$	3,282

SERP Benefits [Member]

The components of net periodic SERP benefit cost for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013, are as follows:



	FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED SEPT. 30,				FOR THE NINE MONTHS ENDED SEPT. 30,
(THOUSANDS)	2014		2013		2014		2013
Components of periodic benefit cost:
Service cost	$	570	$	514	$	1,708	$	1,541
Interest cost	757		645		2,271		1,934
Amortizations:
Prior period service cost	13		13		40		40
Net loss	469		576		1,407		1,728
Net periodic benefit cost	$	1,809	$	1,748	$	5,426	$	5,243