Fair Value Accounting, Effect of Derivatives on Consolidated Statements of Income (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010
Natural gas requirements hedged [Abstract]
Millions MMBtus hedged for natural gas fuel costs	0		2,200,000
Estimated natural gas requirements covered (in hundredths)			3.00%
Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments [Member]
Derivative, gain (loss) recognized in income [Abstract]
Amount of loss recognized in income on derivatives	$ (8,277,000)		$ (18,119,000)		$ (37,485,000)
Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments [Member] | Fuel Cost Hedges [Member] | Fuel Used For Electric Generation [Member]
Derivative, gain (loss) recognized in income [Abstract]
Amount of loss recognized in income on derivatives	(8,277,000)	[1]	(18,119,000)	[1]	(36,818,000)	[1]
Unrealized gains (losses)	0		(5,300,000)		(15,100,000)
Deferred gains (losses)	0		(1,200,000)		(1,600,000)
Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments [Member] | Economic Hedges [Member] | Other Operations Revenue [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Derivative Mark To Market Gain (Loss) On Derivative					400,000
Derivative, gain (loss) recognized in income [Abstract]
Amount of loss recognized in income on derivatives	0		0	[2]	(667,000)	[2]
Derivatives Designated as Hedging Instruments [Member] | Interest Rate Derivatives [Member]
Derivative, gain (loss) recognized in income [Abstract]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) Recognized in Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Effective Portion, Net	704,000	[3]	(25,661,000)	[3]	4,739,000	[3]
Amount of (loss) gain reclassified from accumulated OCI into income (effective portion)	(60,000)	[3],[4]	334,000	[3],[4]	(512,000)	[3],[4]
Cleco Power [Member]
Derivative, gain (loss) recognized in income [Abstract]
Derivative Nonmonetary Notional Amount Period Covered			2
Cleco Power [Member] | Interest Rate Derivatives [Member]
Derivative, gain (loss) recognized in income [Abstract]
Cash flow hedge gain (loss) expected to be reclassed from accumulated OCI over the next 12 months	(400,000)
Forward Starting Interest Rate Swap [Member] | Cleco Power [Member]
Derivative, gain (loss) recognized in income [Abstract]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) Recognized in Income, Net					$ (1,100,000)

[1] In accordance with the authoritative guidance for regulated operations, no unrealized losses and no deferred losses associated with fuel cost hedges are reported in Accumulated Deferred Fuel on the balance sheet as of December 31, 2012, compared to $5.3 million of unrealized losses and $1.2 million of deferred losses as of December 31, 2011, and $15.1 million of unrealized losses and $1.6 million of deferred losses associated with fuel costs hedges as of December 31, 2010. As gains and losses are realized in future periods, they will be recorded as Fuel Used for Electric Generation on the Income Statemen

[2] For the year ended December 31, 2010, Cleco recognized a $0.4 million mark-to-market gain, related to economic hedges.

[3] n November 2010, an interest rate swap was terminated. The remaining $1.1 million of losses in accumulated OCI was reclassified to other expense.

[4] The (loss) gain reclassified from accumulated OCI into income is reflected in interest charges.