Variable Interest Entities (Details) (USD $)	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended			6 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010	Apr. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010	Dec. 31, 2010
Variable Interest Entity Equity Method [Abstract]
Total equity income		$ 61,440,000	$ (1,129,000)		$ 62,052,000	$ 36,718,000
Components of equity method investments [Abstract]
Total equity investment in investee		13,083,000			13,083,000		86,732,000
Oxbow [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Variable interest entity, ownership percentage (in hundredths)				50.00%
Summarized financial information [Abstract]
Current assets		521,000			521,000		583,000
Property, plant and equipment, net		23,498,000			23,498,000		23,597,000
Other assets		2,152,000			2,152,000		2,141,000
Total assets		26,171,000			26,171,000		26,321,000
Current liabilities		25,000			25,000		175,000
Partners' capital		26,146,000			26,146,000		26,146,000
Total liabilities and partners' capital		26,171,000			26,171,000		26,321,000
Operating revenue		293,000	225,000		498,000	319,000
Operating expenses		293,000	225,000		498,000	319,000
Components of equity method investments [Abstract]
Purchase price		12,873,000			12,873,000		12,873,000
Contributed assets (cash and land)		200,000			200,000		200,000
Total equity investment in investee		13,073,000			13,073,000		13,073,000
Comparison of carrying amount of assets and liabilities to maximum loss exposure [Abstract]
Net assets/liabilities		26,146,000			26,146,000		26,146,000
Entity's 50% equity		13,073,000			13,073,000		13,073,000
Cleco's maximum exposure to loss		13,073,000			13,073,000		13,073,000
Subsidiaries less than 100% owned by Cleco Innovations [Member]
Variable Interest Entity Equity Method [Abstract]
Total equity income					(1,000)	1,000
Components of equity method investments [Abstract]
Total equity investment in investee		0			0
Cajun [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Variable interest entity, ownership percentage (in hundredths)					50.00%
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals, Acquisition Costs or Sale Proceeds		298,800,000			298,800,000
Summarized financial information [Abstract]
Current assets							7,133,000
Property, plant and equipment, net							203,793,000
Total assets							210,926,000
Current liabilities							1,950,000
Other liabilities							9,429,000
Partners' capital							199,547,000
Total liabilities and partners' capital							210,926,000
Operating revenue	50,000		10,861,000	5,227,000		14,625,000
Operating expenses	1,133,000		13,291,000	5,914,000		23,454,000
Gain on sales of assets	71,465,000			71,422,000		82,033,000
Other income		57,000	172,000	929,000		229,000
Income (loss) before taxes	70,439,000		(2,258,000)	71,664,000		73,433,000
Entity's share of income tax expense (benefit)	23,700,000		(500,000)	24,000,000		13,800,000
Variable Interest Entity Equity Method [Abstract]
Total equity income		61,440,000	(1,129,000)		62,053,000	36,717,000
Net adjustment to equity income		26,200,000			26,200,000
Impairment of investment		45,900,000			45,900,000
Capitalized interest and other		$ 19,700,000			$ 19,700,000