Fair Value Accounting (Policies)	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2011
Fair Value Accounting [Abstract]
Fair Value, Transfers, Policy	Cleco has a policy which states that transfers between Levels 1, 2, and 3 are recognized at the end of a reporting period.

Disclosure of accounting policy for determining when transfers between levels are recognized.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6925170&loc=d3e19207-110258

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (bb)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6925170&loc=d3e19207-110258

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