Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) (USD $) In Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010
Operating activities
Net income	$ 165,205	$ 234,768
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	114,104	124,144
Gain on forgiveness of debt	0	(129,870)
Return on equity investment in investee	58,665	0
Income from equity investments	(62,051)	(39,212)
Unearned compensation expense	6,065	3,947
Allowance for other funds used during construction	(3,757)	(11,052)
Net deferred income taxes	45,336	40,013
Deferred fuel costs	(6,422)	13,994
Cash surrender value of company-/trust-owned life insurance	1,055	(1,481)
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	(18,274)	(30,329)
Accounts and notes receivable, affiliate	1,074	894
Unbilled revenue	11,538	(23,359)
Fuel, materials and supplies inventory	40,675	(11,979)
Prepayments	2,089	1,047
Accounts payable	(34,986)	(13,277)
Accounts and notes payable, affiliate	(552)	(2,364)
Customer deposits	9,718	9,490
Long-term receivable	0	27,976
Post-retirement benefit obligations	(56,743)	503
Regulatory assets and liabilities, net	(40,204)	(77,331)
Contingent sale obligations	10,900	4,800
Other deferred accounts	(2,184)	7,363
Retainage payable	(2,481)	0
Taxes accrued	12,946	51,597
Interest accrued	10,738	9,606
Energy risk management assets and liabilities, net	3,880	6,340
Other operating	(3,692)	(3,860)
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	262,642	192,368
Investing activities
Additions to property, plant and equipment	(145,669)	(252,711)
Allowance for other funds used during construction	3,757	11,052
Cash from reconsolidation of VIEs	3,879	812
Return of equity investment in investee	89,654	0
Equity investment in investees	0	(8,700)
Return of investment tax credit fund	244	0
Contributions to tax credit fund	(18,479)	(28,837)
Transfer of cash from restricted accounts	12,144	45,243
Other investing	373	(1,678)
Net cash used in investing activities	(54,097)	(234,819)
Financing activities
Issuance of short-term debt	0	150,000
Retirement of short-term debt	(150,000)	0
Draws on credit facility	10,000	255,000
Payments on credit facility	(25,000)	(350,000)
Retirement of long-term debt	(12,269)	(46,696)
Repurchase of common stock	13,009	0
Redemption of preferred stock	(1,039)	0
Dividends paid on preferred stock	(26)	(35)
Dividends paid on common stock	(49,170)	(43,848)
Other financing	(928)	673
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(241,441)	(34,906)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(32,896)	(77,357)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	191,128	145,193
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	158,232	67,836
Supplementary cash flow information
Interest paid (net of amount capitalized)	53,936	55,623
Income taxes paid (refunded)	18,241	17,047
Supplementary non-cash investing and financing activities
Accrued additions to property, plant and equipment	11,491	5,314
Issuance of treasury stock - LTICP	55	74
Issuance of common stock - LTICP/ESPP	241	222
Non-cash additions to property, plant and equipment	4,074	152,067
Non-cash return of investment	0	152,067
Non-cash contribution to subsidiary, net of tax	0	225,732
CLECO POWER [Member]
Operating activities
Net income	119,557	123,584
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	95,482	88,607
Unearned compensation expense	1,768	1,303
Allowance for other funds used during construction	(3,757)	(11,052)
Net deferred income taxes	35,174	20,628
Deferred fuel costs	(6,422)	13,994
Cash surrender value of company-/trust-owned life insurance	(277)	(236)
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	(20,442)	(31,579)
Accounts and notes receivable, affiliate	68	(1,977)
Unbilled revenue	11,538	(23,359)
Fuel, materials and supplies inventory	40,946	(11,707)
Prepayments	1,858	974
Accounts payable	(30,345)	(12,137)
Accounts and notes payable, affiliate	(1,386)	(18,524)
Customer deposits	9,718	9,490
Post-retirement benefit obligations	(58,259)	(1,020)
Regulatory assets and liabilities, net	(40,204)	(77,331)
Other deferred accounts	(6,361)	(4,021)
Retainage payable	(2,481)	0
Taxes accrued	21,680	20,858
Interest accrued	11,075	9,297
Energy risk management assets and liabilities, net	3,880	6,340
Other operating	1,878	(2,444)
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	184,688	99,688
Investing activities
Additions to property, plant and equipment	(131,014)	(98,399)
Allowance for other funds used during construction	3,757	11,052
Equity investment in investees	0	(200)
Transfer of cash from restricted accounts	12,144	15,111
Other investing	2,257	(83)
Net cash used in investing activities	(112,856)	(72,519)
Financing activities
Retirement of long-term debt	(12,269)	(11,533)
Distribution to parent	(100,000)	(125,000)
Other financing	(1,460)	(1,365)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(113,729)	(137,898)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(41,897)	(110,729)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	184,912	138,113
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	143,015	27,384
Supplementary cash flow information
Interest paid (net of amount capitalized)	52,220	48,155
Income taxes paid (refunded)	2,233	(5,425)
Supplementary non-cash investing and financing activities
Accrued additions to property, plant and equipment	20,088	4,757
Non-cash additions to property, plant and equipment	4,074	304,134
Non-cash assumption of deferred tax liability	$ 0	$ 78,402