Electric Customer Credits (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2010	Dec. 31, 2011	Feb. 12, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Provision for rate refund				$ 7,323,000		$ 9,598,000
Cleco Power [Member]
Target return on equity allowed by FRP (in hundredths)					10.70%
Percentage of retail earnings within range to be returned to customers (in hundredths)					60.00%
Return on equity for customer credit, low range (in hundredths)					11.30%
Return on equity for customer credit, high range (in hundredths)					12.30%
Total customer credits	5,100,000	9,000,000	0
Provision for rate refund				$ 7,323,000		$ 9,598,000