Schedule I Financial Statements of Cleco Corporation, Cash Distributions and Equity Contributions (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Distributions and Equity Contributions [Abstract]
Distribution payments to parent	$ 63,700,000	$ 291,219,000	$ 183,700,000
Contributions To Affiliates	16,191,000	40,345,000	320,588,000
Cleco Power [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Retained Earnings, Unappropriated	623,700,000
Distributions and Equity Contributions [Abstract]
Distribution payments to parent	58,000,000	130,000,000	150,000,000
Cleco Power [Member]
Distributions and Equity Contributions [Abstract]
Distribution payments to parent	58,000,000	130,000,000	150,000,000
Contributions To Affiliates	0	0	225,732,000
Midstream [Member]
Distributions and Equity Contributions [Abstract]
Distribution payments to parent	0	159,819,000	32,300,000
Contributions To Affiliates	16,191,000	35,500,000	74,400,000
Diversified Lands [Member]
Distributions and Equity Contributions [Abstract]
Distribution payments to parent	2,900,000	0	0
Perryville [Member]
Distributions and Equity Contributions [Abstract]
Distribution payments to parent	1,500,000	700,000	700,000
Contributions To Affiliates	0	1,845,000	0
Attala [Member]
Distributions and Equity Contributions [Abstract]
Distribution payments to parent	1,300,000	700,000	700,000
Support Group [Member]
Distributions and Equity Contributions [Abstract]
Contributions To Affiliates	0	0	20,000,000
Cleco Innovations LLC [Member]
Distributions and Equity Contributions [Abstract]
Contributions To Affiliates	$ 0	$ 3,000,000	$ 456,000
Maximum [Member] | Cleco Power [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Ratio of Indebtedness to Net Capital	0.65