Schedule I Financial Statements of Cleco Corporation, Condensed Statements of Cash Flows (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Operating activities
Net cash provided by operating activities	$ 308,020	$ 215,173	$ 141,452
Investing activities
Additions to property, plant and equipment, net	(195,882)	(305,157)	(256,558)
Equity investment in tax credit fund	(43,921)	(35,871)	(15,730)
Return of equity investment in tax credit fund	33,430	0	0
Return of equity investment in investees	89,654	0	850
Other investing	2,458	(1,582)	(2,002)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(101,675)	(306,905)	(183,449)
Financing activities
Issuance of short-term debt	0	150,000	0
Retirement of short-term debt	(150,000)	0	0
Draws on credit facility	95,000	20,000	93,000
Payments on credit facility	(100,000)	(100,000)	(28,000)
Repurchase of common stock	(13,009)	0	0
Redemption of preferred stock	(1,039)	0	0
Dividends paid on preferred stock	(26)	(46)	(46)
Dividends paid on common stock	(68,023)	(58,988)	(54,221)
Other financing	(3,895)	(5,352)	(1,245)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(303,897)	137,667	89,707
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(97,552)	45,935	47,710
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	191,128	145,193	97,483
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	93,576	191,128	145,193
Supplementary cash flow information
Interest paid	87,359	90,773	84,629
Income taxes paid (refunded), net	46,636	75,498	(30,309)
Supplementary non-cash investing and financing activities
Issuance of treasury stock - LTICP	68	93	117
Issuance of common stock - LTICP/ESPP	328	299	290
Non-cash additions to property, plant, and equipment	4,586	152,067	0
Non-cash return of investment	0	152,067	0
Non-cash contribution to subsidiary, net of tax	0	225,732	0
CLECO CORPORATION (Parent Company Only) [Member]
Operating activities
Net cash provided by operating activities	175,624	174,912	6,007
Investing activities
Additions to property, plant and equipment, net	0	(152,067)	0
Equity investment in tax credit fund	(43,921)	(35,871)	(16,254)
Return of equity investment in tax credit fund	33,430	0	0
Return of equity investment in investees	89,654	0	850
Other investing	(1,232)	(2,900)	(2,328)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	77,931	(190,838)	(17,732)
Financing activities
Issuance of short-term debt	0	150,000	0
Retirement of short-term debt	(150,000)	0	0
Draws on credit facility	35,000	20,000	93,000
Payments on credit facility	(40,000)	(100,000)	(28,000)
Repurchase of common stock	(13,009)	0	0
Redemption of preferred stock	(1,039)	0	0
Dividends paid on preferred stock	(26)	(46)	(46)
Dividends paid on common stock	(68,023)	(58,988)	(54,221)
Other financing	864	3,200	2,131
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(236,233)	14,166	12,864
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	17,322	(1,760)	1,139
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	5,320	7,080	5,941
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	22,642	5,320	7,080
Supplementary cash flow information
Interest paid	1,752	8,205	3,119
Income taxes paid (refunded), net	31,180	80,905	(34,792)
Supplementary non-cash investing and financing activities
Issuance of treasury stock - LTICP	68	93	117
Issuance of common stock - LTICP/ESPP	328	299	290
Non-cash additions to property, plant, and equipment	0	152,067	0
Non-cash return of investment	0	152,067	0
Non-cash contribution to subsidiary, net of tax	$ 0	$ 225,732	$ 0