Income Taxes, Current and Deferred Income Tax Expense (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Components of Income Tax Expense [Line Items]
Change in total tax benefit from items charged directly to shareholder's equity	$ 7,600,000
Current and deferred income tax expense [Abstract]
Current federal income tax expense	47,768,000	77,659,000	75,337,000
Deferred federal income tax expense (benefit)	21,724,000	26,577,000	56,047,000
Amortization of accumulated deferred investment tax credits	(1,180,000)	(1,238,000)	(1,285,000)
Total federal income tax expense	68,312,000	102,998,000	130,099,000
Current state income tax (benefit) expense	(1,192,000)	2,857,000	13,572,000
Deferred state income tax (benefit) expense	(1,793,000)	(2,958,000)	(1,173,000)
Total state income tax (benefit) expense	(2,985,000)	(101,000)	12,399,000
Total taxes	65,327,000	102,897,000	142,498,000
Items charged or credited directly to shareholders' equity
Total tax expense (benefit) from items charged directly to shareholders' equity	(2,771,000)	(10,347,000)	2,567,000
Total federal and state income tax expense	62,556,000	92,550,000	145,065,000
Cleco Power [Member]
Components of Income Tax Expense [Line Items]
Change in total tax benefit from items charged directly to shareholder's equity	10,000,000
Current and deferred income tax expense [Abstract]
Current federal income tax expense	13,008,000	23,347,000	35,132,000
Deferred federal income tax expense (benefit)	59,008,000	47,763,000	40,237,000
Amortization of accumulated deferred investment tax credits	(1,180,000)	(1,238,000)	(1,285,000)
Total federal income tax expense	70,836,000	69,872,000	74,084,000
Current state income tax (benefit) expense	(1,060,000)	1,691,000	6,704,000
Deferred state income tax (benefit) expense	(1,643,000)	(2,154,000)	(5,681,000)
Total state income tax (benefit) expense	(2,703,000)	(463,000)	1,023,000
Total taxes	68,133,000	69,409,000	75,107,000
Items charged or credited directly to shareholders' equity
Total tax expense (benefit) from items charged directly to shareholders' equity	23,000	(9,966,000)	2,941,000
Total federal and state income tax expense	68,156,000	59,443,000	78,048,000
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) [Member]
Items charged or credited directly to shareholders' equity
Total tax expense (benefit) from items charged directly to shareholders' equity	(2,386,000)	(8,908,000)	2,210,000
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) [Member] | Cleco Power [Member]
Items charged or credited directly to shareholders' equity
Total tax expense (benefit) from items charged directly to shareholders' equity	20,000	(8,580,000)	2,532,000
State and Local Jurisdiction [Member]
Items charged or credited directly to shareholders' equity
Total tax expense (benefit) from items charged directly to shareholders' equity	(385,000)	(1,439,000)	357,000
State and Local Jurisdiction [Member] | Cleco Power [Member]
Items charged or credited directly to shareholders' equity
Total tax expense (benefit) from items charged directly to shareholders' equity	$ 3,000	$ (1,386,000)	$ 409,000