Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012
Operating activities
Net income	$ 27,133	$ 30,031
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	38,586	38,445
Unearned compensation expense	1,510	1,329
Allowance for other funds used during construction	(1,164)	(1,017)
Net deferred income taxes	10,030	889
Deferred fuel costs	4,493	7,433
Cash surrender value of company-/trust-owned life insurance	(2,071)	(1,806)
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	12,059	7,812
Unbilled revenue	4,845	4,302
Fuel, materials and supplies inventory	10,619	(4,187)
Prepayments	1,628	1,820
Accounts payable	(37,345)	(56,725)
Customer deposits	3,074	2,952
Postretirement benefit obligations	(32,422)	2,831
Regulatory assets and liabilities, net	(4,836)	(4,436)
Other deferred accounts	2,121	(1,883)
Taxes accrued	55,930	12,112
Interest accrued	13,276	4,511
Other operating	(4,019)	1,306
Net cash provided by operating activities	103,447	45,719
Investing activities
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	(44,887)	(43,487)
Allowance for other funds used during construction	1,164	1,017
Property plant and equipment grants	729	1,212
Return of investment tax credit fund	9	10,215
Contributions to tax credit fund	(12,081)	(18,540)
Transfer of cash from restricted accounts	5,154	5,248
Purchase of restricted investments	(1,447)	0
Maturity of restricted investments	1,409	0
Other investing	240	(597)
Net cash used in investing activities	(49,710)	(44,932)
Financing activities
Draws on credit facility	108,000	0
Payments on credit facility	(118,000)	(10,000)
Issuance of long-term debt	60,000	0
Retirement of long-term debt	(7,129)	(17,847)
Repurchase of long-term debt	(60,000)	0
Dividends paid on common stock	(20,593)	(19,144)
Other financing	(568)	(123)
Net cash used in financing activities	(38,290)	(47,114)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	15,447	(46,327)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	31,020	93,576
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	46,467	47,249
Supplementary cash flow information
Interest paid (net of amount capitalized)	6,326	8,251
Income taxes paid (refunded), net	(45,343)	6
Supplementary non-cash investing and financing activities
Accrued additions to property, plant, and equipment	9,191	6,974
Non-cash additions to property, plant, and equipment	1,134	3,333
Cleco Power [Member]
Operating activities
Net income	27,793	26,805
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	35,094	33,049
Unearned compensation expense	331	297
Allowance for other funds used during construction	(1,164)	(1,017)
Net deferred income taxes	14,560	14,052
Deferred fuel costs	4,493	7,433
Cash surrender value of company-/trust-owned life insurance	(102)	(107)
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	12,098	7,326
Accounts and notes receivable, affiliate	2,033	286
Unbilled revenue	4,845	4,302
Fuel, materials and supplies inventory	10,655	(4,105)
Prepayments	1,062	1,085
Accounts payable	(31,744)	(47,174)
Accounts and notes payable, affiliate	(3,621)	11,102
Customer deposits	3,074	2,952
Postretirement benefit obligations	(32,903)	1,673
Regulatory assets and liabilities, net	(4,836)	(4,436)
Other deferred accounts	1,650	(4,795)
Taxes accrued	8,688	(2,171)
Interest accrued	13,457	5,330
Other operating	(2,365)	(220)
Net cash provided by operating activities	63,098	51,667
Investing activities
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	(43,599)	(42,661)
Allowance for other funds used during construction	1,164	1,017
Property plant and equipment grants	729	1,212
Transfer of cash from restricted accounts	5,154	5,248
Purchase of restricted investments	(1,447)	0
Maturity of restricted investments	1,409	0
Other investing	259	271
Net cash used in investing activities	(36,331)	(34,913)
Financing activities
Draws on credit facility	90,000	0
Payments on credit facility	(90,000)	0
Issuance of long-term debt	60,000	0
Retirement of long-term debt	(7,129)	(17,847)
Repurchase of long-term debt	(60,000)	0
Distribution to parent	0	(30,000)
Other financing	(567)	(480)
Net cash used in financing activities	(7,696)	(48,327)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	19,071	(31,573)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	23,368	67,458
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	42,439	35,885
Supplementary cash flow information
Interest paid (net of amount capitalized)	6,260	8,180
Supplementary non-cash investing and financing activities
Accrued additions to property, plant, and equipment	7,634	11,262
Non-cash additions to property, plant, and equipment	1,134	3,333
Employee Stock [Member] | Common Stock [Member]
Supplementary non-cash investing and financing activities
Issuance of common stock - ESPP	$ 78	$ 86