Variable Interest Entities

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2014

Variable Interest Entities [Abstract]

Variable Interest Entities

Note 12 — Variable Interest Entities

Cleco and Cleco Power account for investments in VIEs in accordance with the authoritative guidance. Cleco and Cleco Power apply the equity method of accounting to report the investment in Oxbow in the consolidated financial statements. Under the equity method, the assets and liabilities of this entity are reported as equity investment in investees on Cleco and Cleco Power’s Consolidated Balance Sheets. The revenue and expenses (excluding income taxes) of this entity are netted and reported as equity income or loss from investees on Cleco and Cleco Power’s Consolidated Statements of Income.

Equity Method VIEs

Equity investment in investees at December 31, 2014, primarily represented Cleco Power’s $14.5 million investment in Oxbow. Equity investments that are less than 100% owned by Diversified Lands represented less than $0.1 million of the total balance.

Oxbow

Oxbow is owned 50% by Cleco Power and 50% by SWEPCO and is accounted for as an equity method investment. Cleco Power is not the primary beneficiary because it shares the power to control Oxbow’s significant activities with SWEPCO. Cleco Power’s current assessment of its maximum exposure to loss related to Oxbow at December 31, 2014, consisted of its equity investment of $14.5 million. The following table presents the components of Cleco Power’s equity investment in Oxbow:

	AT DEC. 31,
INCEPTION TO DATE (THOUSANDS)	2014		2013
Purchase price	$	12,873	$	12,873
Cash contributions	1,659		1,659
Total equity investment in investee	$	14,532	$	14,532

The following table compares the carrying amount of Oxbow’s assets and liabilities with Cleco Power’s maximum exposure to loss related to its investment in Oxbow:

	AT DEC. 31,
(THOUSANDS)	2014		2013
Oxbow’s net assets/liabilities	$	29,065	$	29,065
Cleco Power’s 50% equity	$	14,532	$	14,532
Cleco Power’s maximum exposure to loss	$	14,532	$	14,532

The following tables contain summarized financial information for Oxbow:

	AT DEC. 31,
(THOUSANDS)	2014		2013
Current assets	$	2,792	$	2,289
Property, plant, and equipment, net	22,457		22,611
Other assets	3,847		4,256
Total assets	$	29,096	$	29,156
Current liabilities	$	31	$	91
Partners’ capital	29,065		29,065
Total liabilities and partners’ capital	$	29,096	$	29,156

	FOR THE YEAR ENDED DEC. 31,
(THOUSANDS)	2014		2013		2012
Operating revenue	$	2,248	$	2,558	$	1,126
Operating expenses	2,248		2,558		1,126
Income before taxes	$	—	$	—	$	—

Oxbow’s property, plant, and equipment, net consists of land and lignite reserves. The lignite reserves are intended to be used to provide fuel to the Dolet Hills Power Station. DHLC mines the lignite reserves at Oxbow through the Amended Lignite Mining Agreement.

Oxbow has no third-party agreements, guarantees, or other third-party commitments that contain obligations affecting Cleco Power’s investment in Oxbow.