Fair Value Accounting, Concentration of Risk (Details) (Maximum Amount of Loss [Member], USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Jun. 30, 2013
Fair Value, Concentration of Risk, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Concentrations of credit risk through short-term investments	$ 16.3
Concentrations of credit risk through short-term investments in cash equivalents	3.9
Concentrations of credit risk through short-term investments in restricted cash equivalents	12.4
Cleco Power [Member]
Fair Value, Concentration of Risk, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Concentrations of credit risk through short-term investments	12.6
Concentrations of credit risk through short-term investments in cash equivalents	0.3
Concentrations of credit risk through short-term investments in restricted cash equivalents	$ 12.3

This item represents disclosure of all significant concentrations of credit risk or market risk arising from the subject financial instrument (as defined), whether from an individual counterparty or groups of counterparties.

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Cash

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6506951

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Cash Equivalents

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6507016

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 95

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Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

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-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

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Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 107

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Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 107

-Paragraph 15C

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Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

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-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 107

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+ Details

- Definition

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 115

-Paragraph 13

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Available-for-Sale Securities

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6505594

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 115

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Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 107

-Paragraph 15A

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Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 107

-Paragraph 15C

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 107

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Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Trading Securities

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6526789

Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 320

-SubTopic 10

-Section 25

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7534914&loc=d3e22054-111558

Reference 9: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph a, f, g

-Article 7

+ Details