Litigation, Other Commitments and Contingencies, and Disclosures about Guarantees Long-Term Purchase Obligations (Details) (Cleco Power [Member], Purchase of coal, petroleum coke, limestone, entergy capacity and energy delivery facilities [Member], USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Cleco Power [Member] | Purchase of coal, petroleum coke, limestone, entergy capacity and energy delivery facilities [Member]
Payments required under long-term purchase obligations [Abstract]
Payments under long-term purchase obligations	$ 59,200,000	$ 97,400,000	$ 56,700,000
2013	66,657,000
2014	36,425,000
2015	14,182,000
2016	15,673,000
2017	16,375,000
Thereafter	15,424,000
Total long-term purchase obligations	$ 164,736,000