Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Summary of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets and liabilities - deferred taxes, net	$ 215,793,000	$ 214,421,000
Cleco Power [Member]
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Total regulatory assets, net	455,162,000	458,707,000
Regulatory assets and liabilities - deferred taxes, net	215,793,000	214,421,000
Cleco Power [Member] | Deferred mining costs [Member]
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	18,480,000	19,117,000
Cleco Power [Member] | Deferred interest costs [Member]
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	6,575,000	6,667,000
Cleco Power [Member] | Deferred asset removal costs [Member]
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	818,000	829,000
Cleco Power [Member] | Deferred postretirement plan costs [Member]
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	130,790,000	132,556,000
Cleco Power [Member] | Deferred tree trimming costs [Member]
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	7,693,000	8,371,000
Cleco Power [Member] | Deferred training costs [Member]
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	7,447,000	7,486,000
Cleco Power [Member] | Deferred storm surcredits, net [Member]
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	6,481,000	9,254,000
Cleco Power [Member] | Deferred construction carrying costs - asset [Member]
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	9,395,000	10,883,000
Cleco Power [Member] | Lignite mining agreement contingency [Member]
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	3,781,000	3,781,000
Cleco Power [Member] | AFUDC equity gross-up [Member]
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	74,125,000	74,346,000
Cleco Power [Member] | Deferred rate case costs [Member]
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	983,000	1,117,000
Cleco Power [Member] | Deferred Acadia Unit 1 acquisition costs [Member]
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	2,945,000	2,971,000
Cleco Power [Member] | Deferred IRP/RFP costs [Member]
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	391,000	508,000
Cleco Power [Member] | Deferred AMI pilot costs [Member]
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	120,000	153,000
Cleco Power [Member] | Deferred Financing costs [Member]
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	6,944,000	4,433,000
Cleco Power [Member] | Biomass costs [Member]
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	151,000	0
Cleco Power [Member] | Total regulatory assets - other [Member]
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	277,119,000	282,472,000
Cleco Power [Member] | Deferred construction carrying costs - liability [Member]
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory liabilities	(31,552,000)	(40,322,000)
Amount of construction carrying costs returned to customers	134,900,000
Cleco Power [Member] | Deferred fuel and purchased power [Member]
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets		2,136,000
Regulatory liabilities	$ (6,198,000)