Fair Value Accounting (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

Fair Value [Line Items]

Fair Value By Balance Sheet Grouping

The following tables summarize the carrying value and estimated market value of Cleco and Cleco Power’s financial instruments not measured at fair value in Cleco and Cleco Power’s Consolidated Balance Sheets:

Cleco
					AT DEC. 31,
			2015				2014
(THOUSANDS)	CARRYING VALUE		ESTIMATED FAIR VALUE		CARRYING VALUE		ESTIMATED FAIR VALUE
Cash equivalents	$	64,200	$	64,200	$	39,700	$	39,700
Restricted cash equivalents	$	25,384	$	25,384	$	24,001	$	24,001
Long-term debt	$	1,299,529	$	1,463,989	$	1,368,354	$	1,601,816

Fair Value of Financial Assets and Liabilities Measured On A Recurring Basis

The following tables disclose for Cleco and Cleco Power the fair value of financial assets and liabilities measured or disclosed on a recurring basis:

Cleco
	CLECO CONSOLIDATED FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS AT REPORTING DATE USING:
(THOUSANDS)	AT DEC. 31, 2015		QUOTED  PRICES IN ACTIVE MARKETS FOR IDENTICAL ASSETS (LEVEL 1)		SIGNIFICANT OTHER OBSERVABLE INPUTS (LEVEL 2)		SIGNIFICANT UNOBSERVABLE INPUTS (LEVEL 3)		AT DEC. 31, 2014		QUOTED PRICES IN ACTIVE MARKETS FOR IDENTICAL ASSETS (LEVEL 1)		SIGNIFICANT OTHER OBSERVABLE INPUTS (LEVEL 2)		SIGNIFICANT UNOBSERVABLE INPUTS (LEVEL 3)
Asset Description
Institutional money market funds	$	89,584	$	—	$	89,584	$	—	$	63,701	$	—	$	63,701	$	—
FTRs	7,673		—		—		7,673		10,776		—		—		10,776
Total assets	$	97,257	$	—	$	89,584	$	7,673	$	74,477	$	—	$	63,701	$	10,776
Liability Description
Long-term debt	$	1,463,989	$	—	$	1,463,989	$	—	$	1,601,816	$	—	$	1,601,816	$	—
FTRs	275		—		—		275		827		—		—		827
Total liabilities	$	1,464,264	$	—	$	1,463,989	$	275	$	1,602,643	$	—	$	1,601,816	$	827

Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Table Text Block]

The followingtables summarize the net changes in the net fair value of FTR assets and liabilities classified as Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy: 

	FOR THE YEAR ENDED DEC. 31,
(THOUSANDS)	2015			2014
Beginning balance	$	9,949		$	8,638
Unrealized losses*	(1,476		)	(2,651		)
Purchases	20,319			51,200
Settlements	(21,394		)	(47,238		)
Ending balance	$	7,398		$	9,949
* Unrealized losses are reported in Accumulated deferred fuel on Cleco and Cleco Power's Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Table Text Block]

The following table quantifies the significant unobservable inputs used in developing the fair value of Level 3 positions as of December 31, 2015:

(THOUSANDS, EXCEPT DOLLAR PER MWh)	FAIR VALUE				VALUATION TECHNIQUE	SIGNIFICANT UNOBSERVABLE INPUTS	FORWARD PRICE RANGE
	Assets		Liabilities				Low			High
FTRs at December 31, 2015	$	7,673	$	275	RTO auction pricing	FTR price - per MWh	$	(3.63	)	$	4.51
FTRs at December 31, 2014	$	10,776	$	827	RTO auction pricing	FTR price - per MWh	$	(4.12	)	$	7.76

Cleco Power [Member]

Fair Value [Line Items]

Fair Value By Balance Sheet Grouping

Cleco Power
					AT DEC. 31,
			2015				2014
(THOUSANDS)	CARRYING VALUE		ESTIMATED FAIR VALUE		CARRYING VALUE		ESTIMATED FAIR VALUE
Cash equivalents	$	62,000	$	62,000	$	34,700	$	34,700
Restricted cash equivalents	$	25,363	$	25,363	$	23,980	$	23,980
Long-term debt	$	1,265,529	$	1,429,989	$	1,311,354	$	1,544,816

Fair Value of Financial Assets and Liabilities Measured On A Recurring Basis

Cleco Power
	CLECO POWER FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS AT REPORTING DATE USING:
(THOUSANDS)	AT DEC. 31, 2015		QUOTED  PRICES IN ACTIVE MARKETS FOR IDENTICAL ASSETS (LEVEL 1)		SIGNIFICANT OTHER OBSERVABLE INPUTS (LEVEL 2)		SIGNIFICANT UNOBSERVABLE INPUTS (LEVEL 3)		AT DEC. 31, 2014		QUOTED  PRICES IN ACTIVE MARKETS FOR IDENTICAL ASSETS (LEVEL 1)		SIGNIFICANT OTHER OBSERVABLE INPUTS (LEVEL 2)		SIGNIFICANT UNOBSERVABLE INPUTS (LEVEL 3)
Asset Description
Institutional money market funds	$	87,363	$	—	$	87,363	$	—	$	58,680	$	—	$	58,680	$	—
FTRs	7,673		—		—		7,673		10,776		—		—		10,776
Total assets	$	95,036	$	—	$	87,363	$	7,673	$	69,456	$	—	$	58,680	$	10,776
Liability Description
Long-term debt	$	1,429,989	$	—	$	1,429,989	$	—	$	1,544,816	$	—	$	1,544,816	$	—
FTRs	275		—		—		275		827		—		—		827
Total liabilities	$	1,430,264	$	—	$	1,429,989	$	275	$	1,545,643	$	—	$	1,544,816	$	827

Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member]

Fair Value [Line Items]

Schedule of Derivative Instruments in Statement of Financial Position, Fair Value [Table Text Block]

The following table presents the fair values of derivative instruments and their respective line items as recorded on Cleco and Cleco Power’s Consolidated Balance Sheets at December 31, 2015, and 2014:

	DERIVATIVES NOT DESIGNATED AS HEDGING INSTRUMENTS
(THOUSANDS)	BALANCE SHEET LINE ITEM	AT DEC. 31, 2015		AT DEC. 31, 2014
Commodity-related contracts
FTRs:
Current	Energy risk management assets	$	7,673	$	10,776
Current	Energy risk management liabilities	275		827
Commodity-related contracts, net		$	7,398	$	9,949

Effect of Derivatives On Consolidated Statements of Income

The following table presents the effect of derivatives not designated as hedging instruments on Cleco and Cleco Power’s Consolidated Statements of Income for the years December 31, 2015, 2014, and 2013:

					FOR THE YEAR ENDED DEC. 31,
		2015			2014			2013
(THOUSANDS)	DERIVATIVES LINE ITEM	AMOUNT OF GAIN/(LOSS) RECOGNIZED IN INCOME ON DERIVATIVES
Commodity contracts
FTRs(1)	Electric operations	$	50,594		74,454			$	243
FTRs(1)	Power purchased for utility customers	(27,509		)	(46,386		)	(19		)
Total		$	23,085		$	28,068		$	224

⁽¹⁾ At December 31, 2015, 2014, and 2013, unrealized (losses) gains associated with FTRs of ($1.5 million), ($2.7 million), and $8.6 million, respectively, were reported in Accumulated deferred fuel on the balance sheet.