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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2024

In 2022, Cleco Holdings began a strategic review process related to its investment in Cleco Cajun. In March 2023, Cleco Holdings’ management, with the support of its Board of Managers, committed to a plan of action for the disposition of the Cleco Cajun Sale Group. Cleco Holdings’ management determined that the criteria under GAAP for the Cleco Cajun Sale Group to be classified as held for sale were met and the sale will represent a strategic shift that will have a major effect on Cleco’s future operations and financial results. Therefore, the results of operations and financial position of the Cleco Cajun Sale Group are presented as discontinued operations. On November 22, 2023, the Cleco Cajun Divestiture Purchase and Sale Agreement was entered into between the Cleco Cajun Sellers and the Cleco Cajun Purchasers whereby the Cleco Cajun Sellers have agreed to sell the Cleco Cajun Sale Group to the Cleco Cajun Purchasers. The financial information for the three months ended March 31, 2023, provided in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q has been recast as a result of the determination during the third quarter of 2023 that the Cleco Cajun Purchasers are not expected to acquire the natural gas derivative instruments relating to the Cleco Cajun Sale Group. For more information, see Note 3 — “Discontinued Operations.”

Principles of Consolidation

The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements of Cleco include the accounts of Cleco Holdings and its majority-owned subsidiaries after elimination of intercompany accounts and transactions.

Basis of Presentation

The condensed consolidated financial statements of Cleco and Cleco Power have been prepared in accordance with GAAP for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Regulation S-X. Accordingly, these condensed

consolidated financial statements do not include all of the information and notes required by GAAP for annual financial statements. The year-end condensed consolidated balance sheet data was derived from audited financial statements and adjusted for discontinued operations. Because the interim condensed consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes do not include all of the information and notes required by GAAP for annual financial statements, the condensed consolidated financial statements and other information included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes in the Registrants’ Combined Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023.

These condensed consolidated financial statements, in the opinion of management, reflect all normal recurring adjustments that are necessary for a fair statement of the financial position and results of operations of Cleco and Cleco Power. Amounts reported in Cleco’s and Cleco Power’s interim financial statements are not necessarily indicative of amounts expected for the annual periods due to the effects of seasonal temperature variations on energy consumption, regulatory rulings, the timing of maintenance on electric generating units, changes in mark-to-market valuations, changing commodity prices, discrete income tax items, and other factors.

In preparing financial statements that conform to GAAP, management must make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the reported amounts of revenues and expenses, and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents

Various agreements to which Cleco is subject contain covenants that restrict its use of cash. As certain provisions

under these agreements are met, cash is transferred out of related escrow accounts and becomes available for its intended purposes and/or general corporate purposes.

Reserves for Credit Losses

Customer accounts receivable are recorded at the invoiced amount and do not bear interest. Customer accounts receivable are generally considered past due 20 days after the billing date. Cleco recognizes write-offs within the allowance for credit losses once all recovery methods have been exhausted. It is the policy of management to review accounts receivable and unbilled revenue monthly using a reserve matrix based on historical bad debt write-offs, as well as current and forecasted economic conditions, to establish a credit loss estimate. Management’s historical credit loss analysis included periods of economic recessions, natural disasters, and temporary changes to collection policies. Due to the critical necessity of electricity, these past events have not significantly impacted Cleco’s credit loss rates.

Cleco’s credit losses at March 31, 2024, were within range of its historical credit loss analysis.

Recent Authoritative Guidance

In March 2023, FASB issued guidance that applies to leases between entities under common control. The guidance provides a practical expedient for determining whether an arrangement between entities under common control is a lease as well as the classification of the lease. In addition, the leasehold improvements amortization period is to be determined by the useful life to the common group rather than the term of the lease. The new guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Cleco has arrangements between entities under common control. The implementation of this guidance did not have a material impact on the results of operations, financial condition, or cash flows of the Registrants.

In November 2023, FASB issued guidance to improve reportable segment disclosure requirements. The guidance enhances interim disclosure requirements, clarifies circumstances in which an entity can disclose multiple segment measures of profit or loss, provides new segment disclosure requirements for entities with a single reportable segment, and contains other disclosure requirements. Disclosure requirements include disclosing significant segment expenses by reportable segment if they are regularly provided to the chief operating decision maker and included in each reported measure of segment profit or loss. Disclosures are required on both an annual and an interim basis. The guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024, with early adoption permitted. Management does not expect this guidance to have a significant impact on the results of operations, financial condition, or cash flows of the Registrants.

Regulatory Assets and Liabilities

Cleco Power recognizes an asset for certain costs capitalized or deferred for recovery from customers and recognizes a liability for amounts expected to be returned to customers or collected for future expected costs. Cleco Power records these assets and liabilities based on regulatory approval and management’s ongoing assessment that it is probable these items will be recovered or refunded through the ratemaking process.

Under the current regulatory environment, Cleco Power believes these regulatory assets will be fully recoverable. If in the future, as a result of regulatory changes or competition,

Cleco Power’s ability to recover these regulatory assets would no longer be probable, then to the extent that such regulatory assets were determined not to be recoverable, Cleco Power would be required to write-down such assets. In addition, potential deregulation of the industry, or possible future

changes in the method of rate regulation of Cleco Power, could require discontinuance of the application of the authoritative guidance on regulated operations.

The following table summarizes Cleco Power’s regulatory assets and liabilities:


Cleco Power
					REMAINING RECOVERY PERIOD (YRS.)
(THOUSANDS)	AT MAR. 31, 2024		AT DEC. 31, 2023
Regulatory assets
Acadia Unit 1 acquisition costs	$	1,675	$	1,701	15.75
Accumulated deferred fuel (1)	9,382		11,627		Various
Affordability study	9,992		10,337		7.25
AFUDC equity gross-up	59,606		60,381		Various	(2)
AMI deferred revenue requirement	818		954		2
AROs (8)	8,526		20,094

Coughlin transaction costs	776		784		25.25
COVID-19 executive order (8)	3,071		3,039
Deferred lignite and mine closure costs (7)	134,739		136,076
Deferred storm restoration costs - Hurricane Delta (6)	88		88

Deferred storm restoration costs - Hurricane Laura (6)	367		367
Deferred storm restoration costs - Hurricane Zeta (6)	7		7

Deferred taxes, net	44,157		43,866		Various
Dolet Hills Power Station closure costs (7)	122,495		147,323


Financing costs (1)	5,994		6,087		Various	(3)
Interest costs	2,899		2,961		Various	(2)
Madison Unit 3 property taxes	13,372		13,297		Various	(9)
Non-service cost of postretirement benefits	14,482		14,526		Various	(2)
Other	9,268		10,483		Various
Postretirement costs	64,399		64,399		Various	(4)
Production operations and maintenance expenses	5,980		7,002		Various	(5)
Rodemacher Unit 2 deferred costs (8)	21,264		19,282

St. Mary Clean Energy Center	2,722		3,705		1.25

Training costs	5,579		5,618		35.75
Tree trimming costs	2,979		3,657		1
Total regulatory assets	544,637		587,661
Regulatory liabilities


Deferred taxes, net	(12,531)		(21,939)		Various

Storm reserves	(112,906)		(111,509)
Total regulatory liabilities	(125,437)		(133,448)
Total regulatory assets, net	$	419,200	$	454,213
(1) Represents regulatory assets for past expenditures that were not earning a return on investment at March 31, 2024, and December 31, 2023. All other assets are earning a return on investment. (2) Amortized over the estimated lives of the respective assets. (3) Amortized over the terms of the related debt issuances. (4) Amortized over the average service life of the remaining plan participants. (5) Deferral is recovered over the following three-year regulatory period. (6) From June 1, 2021, through August 31, 2022, these were being recovered through the interim storm recovery rate. The storm recovery surcharge became effective on September 1, 2022. (7) Currently not in a recovery period. In the second quarter of 2024, Cleco Power intends to file an application with the LPSC for a financing order for securitization of these costs. For more information, see Note 13 — “Litigation, Other Commitments and Contingencies, and Disclosures about Guarantees — Litigation — LPSC Audits and Reviews — Dolet Hills Prudency Review.” (8) Currently not in a recovery period. (9) Beginning July 1, 2021, property taxes paid for the year ended December 31, are being amortized over the subsequent 12 months beginning July 1.

The following table summarizes Cleco’s net regulatory assets and liabilities:


Cleco
(THOUSANDS)	AT MAR. 31, 2024		AT DEC. 31, 2023
Total Cleco Power regulatory assets, net	$	419,200	$	454,213
2016 Merger adjustments (1)
Fair value of long-term debt	95,493		97,345
Postretirement costs	8,952		9,448
Financing costs	6,474		6,560
Debt issuance costs	4,171		4,254
Total Cleco regulatory assets, net	$	534,290	$	571,820

(1) Cleco regulatory assets include acquisition accounting adjustments as a result of the 2016 Merger.

Deferred Lignite and Mine Closure Costs and Dolet Hills Power Station Closure Costs

In 2020, Cleco Power and SWEPCO made a joint filing with the LPSC seeking authorization to close the Oxbow mine and to include and defer certain accelerated mine closing costs in fuel and related ratemaking treatment. In 2021, the LPSC approved the establishment of a regulatory asset for certain lignite costs that would otherwise be billed through Cleco Power’s FAC and any reasonable incremental third-party professional costs related to the closure of the mine.

In 2020, Cleco Power revised depreciation rates for the Dolet Hills Power Station to utilize the December 31, 2021, expected end-of-life and early retirement of the Dolet Hills Power Station and defer depreciation expense to a regulatory asset for the amount in excess of the previously approved depreciation rates by the LPSC. The Dolet Hills Power Station was retired on December 31, 2021.

In 2022, Cleco Power filed an application with the LPSC requesting approval of the regulatory treatment and recovery of stranded and decommissioning costs associated with the retirement of the Dolet Hills Power Station over 20 years as well as recovery of deferred fuel and mine-related costs. On April 19, 2024, the LPSC approved an uncontested settlement that contains a provision for a $40.0 million reduction in the regulatory asset associated with the Dolet Hills Power Station. Therefore, at March 31, 2024, this amount was recorded as a reduction to the associated regulatory asset on Cleco’s and Cleco Power’s Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets and an increase to Depreciation and amortization on Cleco’s and Cleco Power’s Statements of Income. For more information about the settlement, see Note 13 — “Litigation, Other Commitments and Contingencies, and Disclosures about Guarantees — Litigation — LPSC Audits and Reviews — Dolet Hills Prudency Review.”

Pension Plan and Employee Benefits

Employees hired before August 1, 2007, are covered by a non-contributory, defined benefit pension plan. Based on the

funding assumptions at December 31, 2023, management estimates that pension contributions totaling $94.2 million will be required through 2028, of which $25.7 million will be required in 2024. In April 2024, Cleco made a $3.5 million payment towards its 2024 contribution requirement. Cleco was not required to make any contributions to the pension plan in 2023.

Cleco’s retirees may be eligible to receive Other Benefits. Dependents of Cleco’s retirees may also be eligible to receive Other Benefits with the exception of life insurance benefits.

The non-service components of net periodic pension and Other Benefits cost are included in Other income (expense), net within Cleco’s and Cleco Power’s Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income.

Certain Cleco officers are covered by SERP. Cleco does not fund the SERP liability, but instead pays for current benefits out of cash available of the respective company of the employed officer. Because SERP is a non-qualified plan, Cleco has purchased life insurance policies on certain SERP participants as a mechanism to provide a source of funding. These policies are held in a rabbi trust formed by Cleco Power. The rabbi trust is the named beneficiary of the life insurance policies and, therefore, receives the proceeds upon the death of the insured participants. The life insurance policies may be used to

reimburse Cleco for benefits paid from general funds, pay the SERP participants’ death benefits, or pay future SERP payments. Market conditions could have a significant impact on the cash surrender value of these life insurance policies. Because SERP is a non-qualified plan, the assets of the trust could be used to satisfy general creditors of Cleco Power in the event of insolvency. Cleco Power is the plan sponsor and Support Group is the plan administrator.

The non-service components of net periodic benefit cost related to SERP are included in Other income (expense), net within Cleco’s and Cleco Power’s Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income.Cleco’s 401(k) Plan is intended to provide active, eligible employees with voluntary, long-term savings and investment opportunities. The 401(k) Plan is a defined contribution plan and is subject to the applicable provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. In accordance with the 401(k) Plan, employer contributions are made in the form of cash. Cash contributions are invested in proportion to the participant’s voluntary contribution investment choices. Participation in the Plan is voluntary, and active Cleco employees are eligible to participate.

Income Taxes

Cleco classifies all interest related to uncertain tax positions as a component of interest payable and interest expense.Cleco Group classifies income tax penalties as a component of other expense.

Variable Interest Entities

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 investee on Cleco’s and Cleco Power’s Condensed 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’s and Cleco Power’s Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income.

Equity Method Investments