Debt (Details) (USD $)	9 Months Ended			9 Months Ended		9 Months Ended					9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011	Oct. 03, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Sep. 30, 2011 Cleco Power [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Cleco Power [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Cleco Power [Member] Katrina/Rita Storm Recovery Bonds [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Cleco Power [Member] Credit Facility [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Bank Term Loan [Member]	Apr. 29, 2011 Bank Term Loan [Member]	Jan. 27, 2011 Bank Term Loan [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Katrina/Rita Storm Recovery Bonds [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Credit Facility [Member]
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt outstanding	$ 0		$ 150,000,000
Issuance date								February 2010.
Interest rate, prior to extension										LIBOR plus 2.75%
Maturity date , prior to extension								February 2011
Interest rate option 1, subsequent to extension									LIBOR plus 2.50%
Interest rate option 2, subsequent to extension									ABR plus 1.50%
Repayment of debt									150,000,000
Accrued interest as part of repayment									600,000
Short Term Debt Instrument Maturity Date								Aug. 19, 2011
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt outstanding	1,380,000,000		1,410,000,000	1,380,000,000	1,400,000,000
Long-term debt due within one year	13,108,000		12,269,000	13,108,000	12,269,000
Long-term debt decreased	28,300,000			13,300,000
Repayment of credit facility draws												15,000,000
Scheduled principal payment						12,300,000					12,300,000
Credit facility maximum borrowing capacity							300,000,000					250,000,000
Credit facility borrowing capacity at period end							300,000,000					200,000,000
Interest Rates Subsequent To Extension							libor plus 1.275% plus facility fees of 0.225%					libor plus 1.50% plus facility fees of 0.25%
Long Term Debt Instrument Maturity Date							Oct. 07, 2016					Oct. 07, 2016
DebtRepurchasedAndHeld
Stated interest rate of bonds repurchased and held (in hundredths)		0.16%
Face Value Of Bonds Repurchased		32,000,000
Accrued Interest On Purchased Bonds		1,000,000
Investment In Repurchased Bonds		$ 32,000,000