Fair Value Accounting (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

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



Cleco
	AT DEC. 31,
	2017				2016
(THOUSANDS)	CARRYING VALUE*		FAIR VALUE		CARRYING VALUE*		FAIR VALUE
Long-term debt	$	2,866,955	$	2,921,325	$	2,768,149	$	2,754,518

* The carrying value of long-term debt does not include deferred issuance costs of $11.6 million in 2017 and $11.7 million in 2016.

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 on a recurring basis:



Cleco
	FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS AT REPORTING DATE
(THOUSANDS)	AT DEC. 31, 2017		QUOTED PRICES IN ACTIVE MARKETS FOR IDENTICAL ASSETS (LEVEL 1)		SIGNIFICANT OTHER OBSERVABLE INPUTS (LEVEL 2)		SIGNIFICANT UNOBSERVABLE INPUTS (LEVEL 3)		AT DEC. 31, 2016		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	$	144,302	$	—	$	144,302	$	—	$	66,410	$	—	$	66,410	$	—
FTRs	7,396		—		—		7,396		7,884		—		—		7,884
Total assets	$	151,698	$	—	$	144,302	$	7,396	$	74,294	$	—	$	66,410	$	7,884
Liability Description
FTRs	352		—		—		352		201		—		—		201
Total liabilities	$	352	$	—	$	—	$	352	$	201	$	—	$	—	$	201

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

The following tables summarize the net changes in the net fair value of FTR assets and liabilities classified as Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy for Cleco and Cleco Power:



Cleco
	SUCCESSOR						PREDECESSOR
(THOUSANDS)	FOR THE YEAR ENDED DEC. 31, 2017			APR. 13, 2016 - DEC. 31, 2016			JAN. 1, 2016 - APR. 12, 2016
Beginning balance	$	7,683		$	3,458		$	7,398
Unrealized (losses) gains*	(1,392		)	3,119			(1,031		)
Purchases	23,941			12,896			2,070
Settlements	(23,188		)	(11,790		)	(4,979		)
Ending balance	$	7,044		$	7,683		$	3,458
* Unrealized (losses) gains are reported through 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 for Cleco and Cleco Power as of December 31, 2017:



	FAIR VALUE				VALUATION TECHNIQUE	SIGNIFICANT UNOBSERVABLE INPUTS	FORWARD PRICE RANGE
(THOUSANDS, EXCEPT DOLLAR PER MWh)	Assets		Liabilities				Low			High
FTRs at December 31, 2017	$	7,396	$	352	RTO auction pricing	FTR price - per MWh	$	(2.95	)	$	6.33
FTRs at December 31, 2016	$	7,884	$	201	RTO auction pricing	FTR price - per MWh	$	(3.61	)	$	6.04

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, 2017, and 2016:




	DERIVATIVES NOT DESIGNATED AS HEDGING INSTRUMENTS
(THOUSANDS)	BALANCE SHEET LINE ITEM	AT DEC. 31, 2017		AT DEC. 31, 2016
Commodity-related contracts
FTRs:
Current	Energy risk management assets	$	7,396	$	7,884
Current	Energy risk management liabilities	352		201
Commodity-related contracts, net		$	7,044	$	7,683

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, 2017, 2016, and 2015:



Cleco
		AMOUNT OF GAIN/(LOSS) RECOGNIZED IN INCOME ON DERIVATIVES
		SUCCESSOR						PREDECESSOR
(THOUSANDS)	DERIVATIVES LINE ITEM	FOR THE YEAR ENDED DEC. 31, 2017			APR. 13, 2016 - DEC. 31, 2016			JAN. 1, 2016 - APR. 12, 2016			FOR THE YEAR ENDED DEC. 31, 2015
Commodity contracts
FTRs⁽¹⁾	Electric operations	$	44,181		$	30,915		$	8,563		$	50,594
FTRs⁽¹⁾	Power purchased for utility customers	(26,017		)	(14,941		)	(5,761		)	(27,509		)
Total		$	18,164		$	15,974		$	2,802		$	23,085

⁽¹⁾ For the year ended December 31, 2017, unrealized losses associated with FTRs of $1.4 million were reported through Accumulated deferred fuel on the balance sheet. For the periods January 1, 2016 - April 12, 2016, and April 13, 2016 - December 31, 2016, unrealized (losses) gains associated with FTRs of $(1.0) million and $3.1 million, respectively, were reported through Accumulated deferred fuel on the balance sheet. For the year ended December 31, 2015, unrealized losses associated with FTRs of $1.5 million were reported through Accumulated deferred fuel on the balance sheet.



Cleco Power
		AMOUNT OF GAIN/(LOSS) RECOGNIZED IN INCOME ON DERIVATIVES
		FOR THE YEAR ENDED DEC. 31,
(THOUSANDS)	DERIVATIVES LINE ITEM	2017			2016			2015
Commodity contracts
FTRs⁽¹⁾	Electric operations	$	44,181		$	39,478		$	50,594
FTRs⁽¹⁾	Power purchased for utility customers	(26,017		)	(20,702		)	(27,509		)
Total		$	18,164		$	18,776		$	23,085

Cleco Power [Member]

Fair Value [Line Items]

Fair Value By Balance Sheet Grouping



Cleco Power
	AT DEC. 31,
	2017				2016
(THOUSANDS)	CARRYING VALUE*		FAIR VALUE		CARRYING VALUE*		FAIR VALUE
Long-term debt	$	1,369,810	$	1,535,234	$	1,262,373	$	1,418,693

* The carrying value of long-term debt does not include deferred issuance costs of $9.1 million in 2017 and $9.4 million in 2016.

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



Cleco Power
	FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS AT REPORTING DATE:
(THOUSANDS)	AT DEC. 31, 2017		QUOTED PRICES IN ACTIVE MARKETS FOR IDENTICAL ASSETS (LEVEL 1)		SIGNIFICANT OTHER OBSERVABLE INPUTS (LEVEL 2)		SIGNIFICANT UNOBSERVABLE INPUTS (LEVEL 3)		AT DEC. 31, 2016		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	$	95,681	$	—	$	95,681	$	—	$	65,089	$	—	$	65,089	$	—
FTRs	7,396		—		—		7,396		7,884		—		—		7,884
Total assets	$	103,077	$	—	$	95,681	$	7,396	$	72,973	$	—	$	65,089	$	7,884
Liability Description
FTRs	352		—		—		352		201		—		—		201
Total liabilities	$	352	$	—	$	—	$	352	$	201	$	—	$	—	$	201

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



Cleco Power
	FOR THE YEAR ENDED DEC. 31,
(THOUSANDS)	2017			2016
Beginning balance	$	7,683		$	7,398
Unrealized (losses) gains*	(1,392		)	2,088
Purchases	23,941			14,966
Settlements	(23,188		)	(16,769		)
Ending balance	$	7,044		$	7,683
* Unrealized (losses) gains are reported through Accumulated deferred fuel on Cleco and Cleco Power's Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Cleco Power [Member] | Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member]

Fair Value [Line Items]

Effect of Derivatives On Consolidated Statements of Income



Cleco Power
		AMOUNT OF GAIN/(LOSS) RECOGNIZED IN INCOME ON DERIVATIVES
		FOR THE YEAR ENDED DEC. 31,
(THOUSANDS)	DERIVATIVES LINE ITEM	2017			2016			2015
Commodity contracts
FTRs⁽¹⁾	Electric operations	$	44,181		$	39,478		$	50,594
FTRs⁽¹⁾	Power purchased for utility customers	(26,017		)	(20,702		)	(27,509		)
Total		$	18,164		$	18,776		$	23,085

⁽¹⁾ For the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016, and 2015, unrealized (losses) gains associated with FTRs of $(1.4) million, $2.1 million, and $(1.5) million, respectively, were reported through Accumulated deferred fuel on the balance sheet.