Pension Plan and Employee Benefits (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2015

401(k) Plan [Abstract]

401(k) Plan expense

Cleco’s 401(k) Plan expense for the three monthsended March 31, 2015 and 2014 is as follows:

	FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MAR. 31,
(THOUSANDS)	2015		2014
401(k) Plan expense	$	1,425	$	1,369

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, 2015 and 2014, are as follows:

	PENSION BENEFITS						OTHER BENEFITS
	FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MAR. 31,
(THOUSANDS)	2015			2014			2015		2014
Components of periodic benefit costs:
Service cost	$	2,526		$	2,005		$	395	$	405
Interest cost	5,127			4,930			401		463
Expected return on plan assets	(5,834		)	(6,083		)	—		—
Amortizations:
Transition obligation	—			—			—		5
Prior period service (credit) cost	(18		)	(18		)	30		30
Net loss	3,346			1,713			210		177
Net periodic benefit cost	$	5,147		$	2,547		$	1,036	$	1,080

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 benefit cost related to SERP for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, are as follows:

	FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MAR. 31,
(THOUSANDS)	2015		2014
Components of periodic benefit costs:
Service cost	$	630	$	468
Interest cost	758		725
Amortizations:
Prior period service cost	13		12
Net loss	726		385
Net periodic benefit cost	$	2,127	$	1,590