Debt (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Short-term debt	$ 0	$ 0
Long-term outstanding	1,330,000,000	1,360,000,000
Long-term due within one year	13,500,000	24,300,000
Repayments of long-term debt	(28,100,000)
Capital lease payments	400,000
Debt premium amortizations	200,000
Maximum borrowing capacity		0
Cleco Power [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Short-term debt	0	0
Long-term outstanding	1,330,000,000	1,350,000,000
Long-term due within one year	13,500,000	24,300,000
Repayments of long-term debt	(18,100,000)
Capital lease payments	400,000
Debt premium amortizations	200,000
Maximum borrowing capacity		0
Cleco Katrina/Ritas Storm Recovery Bonds [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Scheduled payment	(6,700,000)
Cleco Katrina/Ritas Storm Recovery Bonds [Member] | Cleco Power [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Scheduled payment	(6,700,000)
Cleco Corporation's credit facility draws [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Decrease in credit facility	(10,000,000)
Bonds [Member] | Cleco Power's pollution control revenue bonds, 5.875%, due 2029, callable after September 1, 2009 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate (in hundredths)	5.875%
Repayments of long-term debt	(11,200,000)
Bonds [Member] | Cleco Power's pollution control revenue bonds, 5.875%, due 2029, callable after September 1, 2009 [Member] | Cleco Power [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate (in hundredths)	5.875%
Repayments of long-term debt	$ (11,200,000)