Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011
Operating activities
Net income	$ 76,718	$ 99,363
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	72,963	96,217
Return on equity investment in investees	0	58,665
Income from equity investments	(1)	(62,052)
Unearned compensation expense	2,912	3,795
Allowance for other funds used during construction	(2,416)	(2,854)
Net deferred income taxes	(3,542)	8,292
Deferred fuel costs	(4,670)	(16,077)
Cash surrender value of company-/trust-owned life insurance	(1,486)	(1,343)
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	(1,620)	(19,685)
Unbilled revenue	(5,704)	3,892
Fuel, materials and supplies inventory	(9,978)	34,437
Prepayments	242	1,585
Accounts payable	(41,841)	(8,005)
Customer deposits	5,860	6,426
Postretirement benefit obligations	4,167	(57,640)
Regulatory assets and liabilities, net	(8,207)	(18,531)
Contingent sale obligations	0	10,900
Other deferred accounts	(7,322)	2
Taxes accrued	31,039	9,187
Interest accrued	(5,109)	(637)
Energy risk management assets and liabilities, net	(174)	1,990
Other operating	1,480	872
Net cash provided by operating activities	103,311	148,799
Investing activities
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	(102,278)	(67,050)
Allowance for other funds used during construction	2,416	2,854
Property plant and equipment grants	4,603	760
Insurance reimbursement for casualty loss	5,454	0
Cash from reconsolidation of VIEs	0	3,879
Return of equity investment in investees	0	89,654
Return of investment tax credit fund	22,210	244
Contributions to tax credit fund	(31,326)	(18,479)
Transfer of cash from restricted accounts	192	5,849
Other investing	(1,096)	(431)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(99,825)	17,280
Financing activities
Retirement of short-term debt	0	(150,000)
Draws on credit facility	0	10,000
Payments on credit facility	(10,000)	(15,000)
Issuance of long-term debt	50,000	0
Retirement of long-term debt	(67,957)	(6,283)
Repurchase of common stock	(8,007)	0
Dividends paid on common stock	(38,077)	(32,168)
Other financing	672	(1,630)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(73,369)	(195,081)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(69,883)	(29,002)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	93,576	191,128
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	23,693	162,126
Supplementary cash flow information
Interest paid (net of amount capitalized)	40,320	44,170
Income taxes paid, net	13	13,486
Supplementary non-cash investing and financing activities
Accrued additions to property, plant, and equipment	6,816	15,604
Issuance of common stock - ESPP	86	157
Cleco Power [Member]
Operating activities
Net income	64,089	65,724
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	66,482	62,768
Income from equity investments	0	0
Unearned compensation expense	688	1,108
Allowance for other funds used during construction	(2,416)	(2,854)
Net deferred income taxes	19,830	20,577
Deferred fuel costs	(4,670)	(16,077)
Cash surrender value of company-/trust-owned life insurance	(208)	(88)
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	(2,468)	(20,541)
Accounts and notes receivable, affiliate	(1,439)	333
Unbilled revenue	(5,704)	3,892
Fuel, materials and supplies inventory	(9,926)	34,660
Prepayments	104	1,379
Accounts payable	(36,382)	(7,133)
Accounts and notes payable, affiliate	1,351	(569)
Customer deposits	5,860	6,426
Postretirement benefit obligations	3,103	(58,678)
Regulatory assets and liabilities, net	(8,207)	(18,531)
Other deferred accounts	(10,363)	(1,499)
Taxes accrued	17,972	(2,834)
Interest accrued	(3,191)	(372)
Energy risk management assets and liabilities, net	(174)	1,990
Other operating	(819)	2,076
Net cash provided by operating activities	93,512	71,757
Investing activities
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	(99,392)	(59,422)
Allowance for other funds used during construction	2,416	2,854
Property plant and equipment grants	4,603	760
Transfer of cash from restricted accounts	192	5,849
Other investing	597	400
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(91,584)	(49,559)
Financing activities
Issuance of long-term debt	50,000	0
Retirement of long-term debt	(67,957)	(6,283)
Distribution to parent	(40,000)	(50,000)
Other financing	(1,193)	(986)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(59,150)	(57,269)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(57,222)	(35,071)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	67,458	184,912
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	10,236	149,841
Supplementary cash flow information
Interest paid (net of amount capitalized)	40,248	42,473
Income taxes paid, net	0	2,233
Supplementary non-cash investing and financing activities
Accrued additions to property, plant, and equipment	$ 6,609	$ 21,337