The amount of accrued interest associated with the Senior Secured bonds transferred to the entity's subsidiary, which was eliminated per the Evangeline Restructuring Agreement.

Name:	cnl_AccruedInterestOnTransferredBondsEliminated
Namespace Prefix:	cnl
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Accrued interest on remaining Senior Secured bonds that the entity's subsidiary paid to debtholders, upon issuing an irrevocable redemption notice under the terms of the Evangeline Restructuring Agreement.

+ Details

Name:	cnl_AccruedInterestPaidToDebtholders
Namespace Prefix:	cnl
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	cnl_BondsTransferredAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	cnl
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The letter of credit issued under the Evangeline Tolling Agreement that was returned to the entity that was subsequently cancelled.

+ Details

Name:	cnl_CancellationOfLetterOfCredit
Namespace Prefix:	cnl
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Face amount of remaining Senior Secured bonds that the entity's subsidiary issued an irrevocable redemption notice to redeem, under the terms of the Evangeline Restructuring Agreement.

+ Details

Name:	cnl_FaceAmountOfRemainingSeniorSecuredBonds
Namespace Prefix:	cnl
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount of make-whole payment the entity's subsidiary made to debtholders upon issuing an irrevocable redemption notice under the terms of the Evangeline Restructuring Agreement.

+ Details

Name:	cnl_MakeWholePaymentOnBondRedemption
Namespace Prefix:	cnl
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount that JPMVEC paid to Evangeline upon termination of the existing operating lease.

+ Details

Name:	cnl_PaymentFromTerminationOfOperatingLease
Namespace Prefix:	cnl
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	cnl_RedemptionOfRemainingBondsAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	cnl
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of restricted cash released upon redemption of the bonds.

+ Details

Name:	cnl_RestrictedCashReleasedUponRedemptionOfBonds
Namespace Prefix:	cnl
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Senior Secured bonds transferred to the entity's subsidiary, which was subsequently retired as per the Evangeline Restructuring Agreement.

+ Details

Name:	cnl_SeniorSecuredBondsTransferredAndRetired
Namespace Prefix:	cnl
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The stated interest rate of bonds transferred and retired.

+ Details

Name:	cnl_StatedInterestRateOfBondsTransferredAndRetired
Namespace Prefix:	cnl
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Gain (loss) related to the termination of a contract between the parties. The termination may be due to many causes including early termination of a lease by a lessee, a breach of contract by one party, or a failure to perform.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 28

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6943989&loc=d3e3602-108585

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 420

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (b)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6394359&loc=d3e17939-110869

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The remaining balance of debt issuance expenses that were capitalized and are being amortized against income over the lives of the respective bond issues. This does not include the amounts capitalized as part of the cost of the utility plant or asset.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.17)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Evangeline Transactions (Details) (USD $)	9 Months Ended
Evangeline Transactions (Details) (USD $)	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Mar. 02, 2010	Feb. 26, 2010	Feb. 25, 2010	Feb. 22, 2010
Bonds Transferred from JPMVEC to Evangeline [Abstract]
Senior Secured bonds transferred and retired					$ 126,600,000
Stated interest rate of bonds transferred and retired (in hundredths)					8.82%
Accrued interest on transferred bonds eliminated					5,300,000
Payment by JPMVEC to Evangeline						56,700,000
Cancellation of letter of credit			15,000,000
Gain recorded on termination of operating lease	0	148,402,000
Redemption of remaining bonds [Abstract]
Face amount of remaining Senior Secured bonds					35,200,000
Accrued interest paid to debtholders					1,500,000
Make-whole payment on bond redemption					10,200,000
Unamortized debt issuance costs expensed					2,100,000
Restricted cash released upon redemption of bonds				$ 30,100,000