Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011
Operating activities
Net income	$ 140,536	$ 165,205
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	122,676	114,104
Return on equity investment in investees	0	58,665
Income from equity investments	(1)	(62,051)
Unearned compensation expense	4,986	6,065
Allowance for other funds used during construction	(4,298)	(3,757)
Net deferred income taxes	8,040	45,336
Deferred fuel costs	(4,218)	(6,422)
Cash surrender value of company-/trust-owned life insurance	(2,841)	1,055
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	(13,247)	(21,691)
Accounts and notes receivable, affiliate	257	1,074
Unbilled revenue	(1,376)	11,538
Fuel, materials and supplies inventory	(15,943)	40,675
Prepayments	920	2,089
Accounts payable	(25,422)	(37,467)
Customer deposits	8,772	9,718
Postretirement benefit obligations	5,459	(56,743)
Regulatory assets and liabilities, net	(30,532)	(40,204)
Contingent sale obligations	0	10,900
Other deferred accounts	(17,388)	2,181
Taxes accrued	36,021	12,946
Interest accrued	7,616	10,738
Energy risk management assets and liabilities, net	(28)	3,880
Other operating	4,615	(4,244)
Net cash provided by operating activities	224,604	263,590
Investing activities
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	(177,146)	(146,617)
Allowance for other funds used during construction	4,298	3,757
Property plant and equipment grants	15,075	1,593
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	37,132	244
Contributions to tax credit fund	(46,859)	(18,479)
Transfer of cash from restricted accounts	19,102	12,144
Purchase of restricted investments	(4,340)	0
Other investing	(1,934)	(1,220)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(149,218)	(55,045)
Financing activities
Retirement of short-term debt	0	(150,000)
Draws on credit facility	0	10,000
Payments on credit facility	(10,000)	(25,000)
Issuance of long-term debt	50,000	0
Retirement of long-term debt	(74,368)	(12,269)
Repurchase of common stock	(8,007)	(13,009)
Dividends paid on common stock	(58,459)	(49,170)
Other financing	236	(1,993)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(100,598)	(241,441)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(25,212)	(32,896)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	93,576	191,128
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	68,364	158,232
Supplementary cash flow information
Interest paid (net of amount capitalized)	48,212	53,936
Income taxes paid, net	(131)	18,241
Supplementary non-cash investing and financing activities
Accrued additions to property, plant, and equipment	16,657	11,491
Non-cash additions to property, plant, and equipment	18,395	6,252
Issuance of common stock - ESPP	257	241
Cleco Power [Member]
Operating activities
Net income	121,873	119,557
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	102,724	95,482
Income from equity investments	0	0
Unearned compensation expense	1,327	1,768
Allowance for other funds used during construction	(4,298)	(3,757)
Net deferred income taxes	43,259	35,174
Deferred fuel costs	(4,218)	(6,422)
Cash surrender value of company-/trust-owned life insurance	(308)	(277)
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	(13,807)	(23,859)
Accounts and notes receivable, affiliate	(762)	68
Unbilled revenue	(1,376)	11,538
Fuel, materials and supplies inventory	(15,778)	40,946
Prepayments	614	1,858
Accounts payable	(20,474)	(32,826)
Accounts and notes payable, affiliate	(53)	(1,386)
Customer deposits	8,772	9,718
Postretirement benefit obligations	4,323	(58,259)
Regulatory assets and liabilities, net	(30,532)	(40,204)
Other deferred accounts	(20,057)	(1,996)
Taxes accrued	23,194	21,680
Interest accrued	9,482	11,075
Energy risk management assets and liabilities, net	(28)	3,880
Other operating	1,650	1,878
Net cash provided by operating activities	205,527	185,636
Investing activities
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	(173,268)	(131,962)
Allowance for other funds used during construction	4,298	3,757
Property plant and equipment grants	15,075	1,593
Transfer of cash from restricted accounts	19,102	12,144
Purchase of restricted investments	(4,340)	0
Other investing	804	664
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(138,329)	(113,804)
Financing activities
Issuance of long-term debt	50,000	0
Retirement of long-term debt	(74,368)	(12,269)
Distribution to parent	(58,000)	(100,000)
Other financing	(1,710)	(1,460)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(84,078)	(113,729)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(16,880)	(41,897)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	67,458	184,912
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	50,578	143,015
Supplementary cash flow information
Interest paid (net of amount capitalized)	48,140	52,220
Income taxes paid, net	(246)	2,233
Supplementary non-cash investing and financing activities
Accrued additions to property, plant, and equipment	16,141	20,088
Non-cash additions to property, plant, and equipment	$ 18,395	$ 6,252