Debt, Treasury Rate Derivatives (Details) (USD $)	0 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Nov. 14, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Treasury rate lock [Abstract]
Gross amount of long-term debt and capital lease obligations		$ 1,356,548,000	$ 1,372,105,000
Cleco Power [Member]
Treasury rate lock [Abstract]
Gross amount of long-term debt and capital lease obligations		1,331,548,000	1,362,105,000
Cleco Power [Member] | Treasury Rate Locks [Member]
Treasury rate lock [Abstract]
Notional amount	100,000,000
Interest lock rate (in hundredths)	3.89%
Rate basis	30-year treasury note yield as of November 14, 2011, and two-thirds of the fair market value of the previous treasury rate lock
Cash flow hedges amount recorded in other comprehensive income			22,300,000
Cash flow hedge ineffectiveness deferred as a regulatory asset		2,400,000	4,400,000
Amortization period of amount recorded in other comprehensive income		30-year term
Amortization period of amount deferred as regulatory asset		30-year term
Cleco Power [Member] | Swap [Member]
Treasury rate lock [Abstract]
Rate basis	30-year treasury note yield as of November 14, 2011
Fixed-rate forecasted debt issuance	50,000,000
Reference rate as of contract date	3.05%
Bonds [Member] | Cleco Power's senior notes 5.988% due 2041 [Member]
Treasury rate lock [Abstract]
Gross amount of long-term debt and capital lease obligations		100,000,000	100,000,000
Bonds [Member] | Cleco Power's senior notes 5.988% due 2041 [Member] | Cleco Power [Member]
Treasury rate lock [Abstract]
Gross amount of long-term debt and capital lease obligations		$ 100,000,000	$ 100,000,000