Fair Value Accounting (Policies)	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2013
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]
Fair Value Transfer, Policy	Cleco has a policy which states that transfers between Levels 1, 2, and 3 are recognized at the end of a reporting period.

Disclosure of accounting policy for determining when transfers between levels are recognized.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 820

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (c)(3)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7578670&loc=d3e19207-110258

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 820

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (bb)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7578670&loc=d3e19207-110258

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