Jointly Owned Generation Units (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Jointly Owned Utility Plant Interests [Line Items]
Name plate capacity (MW)	2,524
Cleco Power [Member]
Jointly Owned Utility Plant Interests [Line Items]
Number of generation units jointly owned	2
Utility plant in service	$ 396,521,000
Accumulated depreciation	261,979,000
Cleco Power [Member] | Jointly Owned Electricity Generation Plant [Member]
Jointly Owned Utility Plant Interests [Line Items]
Operating and maintenance expenses associated with jointly owned generation units	131,800,000	118,300,000	111,900,000
Fuel costs included in operating and maintenance expenses associated with jointly owned generation units	109,200,000	97,900,000	91,900,000
Cleco Power [Member] | Rodemacher Unit #2 [Member]
Jointly Owned Utility Plant Interests [Line Items]
Utility plant in service	91,645,000
Accumulated depreciation	68,293,000
Ownership (in hundredths)	30.00%
Name plate capacity (MW)	523
Cleco Power's ownership interest (MW)	157
Cleco Power [Member] | Dolet Hills [Member]
Jointly Owned Utility Plant Interests [Line Items]
Utility plant in service	304,876,000
Accumulated depreciation	$ 193,686,000
Ownership (in hundredths)	50.00%
Name plate capacity (MW)	650
Cleco Power's ownership interest (MW)	325