Debt, Credit Facilities (Details) (USD $)	0 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Oct. 07, 2011	Nov. 30, 2010	Dec. 31, 2011
Cleco Power [Member]
Credit Facilities [Abstract]
Total indebtedness to total capitalization, maximum			65.00%
Unrestricted retained earnings			$ 661,500,000
Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Credit Facilities [Abstract]
Maximum borrowing capacity			550,000,000
Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | Cleco Corporation [Member]
Credit Facilities [Abstract]
Term (in years)		4 years
Maximum borrowing capacity	250,000,000	200,000,000
Maturity date	October 7, 2016	November 23, 2014
Interest rate description		LIBOR plus 2.05%
Fees (in hundredths)	0.25%	0.45%
Amount outstanding			10,000,000
Covenant compliance status			in compliance
Remaining borrowing capacity			240,000,000
Total indebtedness to total capitalization, maximum			65.00%
Unrestricted retained earnings			661,500,000
Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | Cleco Power [Member]
Credit Facilities [Abstract]
Term (in years)		4 years
Maximum borrowing capacity		300,000,000	300,000,000
Maturity date	October 7, 2016	November 23, 2014
Interest rate description		LIBOR plus 1.90%
Fees (in hundredths)	0.225%	0.35%
Amount outstanding			0
Covenant compliance status			in compliance
Total indebtedness to total capitalization, maximum			65.00%
Unrestricted retained earnings			$ 519,700,000
Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | LIBOR [Member] | Cleco Corporation [Member]
Credit Facilities [Abstract]
Interest rate description	LIBOR plus 1.50%
Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | LIBOR [Member] | Cleco Power [Member]
Credit Facilities [Abstract]
Interest rate description	LIBOR plus 1.275%
Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | ABR [Member] | Cleco Corporation [Member]
Credit Facilities [Abstract]
Interest rate description	ABR plus 0.50%
Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | ABR [Member] | Cleco Power [Member]
Credit Facilities [Abstract]
Interest rate description	ABR plus 0.275%