Fair Value Accounting, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures(Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Jun. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Cash and Cash Equivalents [Member]
Asset Description
Institutional money market funds	$ 3,900
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, Current [Member]
Asset Description
Institutional money market funds	8,100
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, Noncurrent [Member]
Asset Description
Institutional money market funds	4,400
Restricted Investement, Noncurrent [Member]
Asset Description
Institutional money market funds	2,300
Available-for-sale securities	10,300
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] \| Estimated Fair Value [Member]
Asset Description
Institutional money market funds	18,672	39,489
Total Assets	28,938	49,692
Liability Description
Interest rate derivatives	0	2,627
Long-term debt	1,455,061	1,579,674
Total Liabilities	1,455,061	1,582,301
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] \| Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member]
Asset Description
Institutional money market funds	0	0
Total Assets	0	0
Liability Description
Interest rate derivatives	0	0
Long-term debt	0	0
Total Liabilities	0	0
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] \| Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member]
Asset Description
Institutional money market funds	18,672	39,489
Total Assets	28,938	49,692
Liability Description
Interest rate derivatives	0	2,627
Long-term debt	1,455,061	1,579,674
Total Liabilities	1,455,061	1,582,301
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] \| Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member]
Asset Description
Institutional money market funds	0	0
Total Assets	0	0
Liability Description
Interest rate derivatives	0	0
Long-term debt	0	0
Total Liabilities	0	0
Cleco Power [Member] \| Cash and Cash Equivalents [Member]
Asset Description
Institutional money market funds	300
Cleco Power [Member] \| Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, Current [Member]
Asset Description
Institutional money market funds	8,100
Cleco Power [Member] \| Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, Noncurrent [Member]
Asset Description
Institutional money market funds	4,300
Cleco Power [Member] \| Restricted Investement, Noncurrent [Member]
Asset Description
Institutional money market funds	2,300
Cleco Power [Member] \| Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] \| Estimated Fair Value [Member]
Asset Description
Institutional money market funds	14,976	33,292
Total Assets	25,242	43,495
Liability Description
Interest rate derivatives	0	2,627
Long-term debt	1,430,061	1,554,674
Total Liabilities	1,430,061	1,557,301
Cleco Power [Member] \| Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] \| Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member]
Asset Description
Institutional money market funds	0	0
Total Assets	0	0
Liability Description
Interest rate derivatives	0	0
Long-term debt	0	0
Total Liabilities	0	0
Cleco Power [Member] \| Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] \| Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member]
Asset Description
Institutional money market funds	14,976	33,292
Total Assets	25,242	43,495
Liability Description
Interest rate derivatives	0	2,627
Long-term debt	1,430,061	1,554,674
Total Liabilities	1,430,061	1,557,301
Cleco Power [Member] \| Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] \| Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member]
Asset Description
Institutional money market funds	0	0
Total Assets	0	0
Liability Description
Interest rate derivatives	0	0
Long-term debt	0	0
Total Liabilities	0	0
Municipal Bonds [Member] \| Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] \| Estimated Fair Value [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale securities	9,754	10,203
Municipal Bonds [Member] \| Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] \| Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale securities	0	0
Municipal Bonds [Member] \| Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] \| Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale securities	9,754	10,203
Municipal Bonds [Member] \| Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] \| Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale securities	0	0
Municipal Bonds [Member] \| Cleco Power [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale securities	9,754	10,203
Municipal Bonds [Member] \| Cleco Power [Member] \| Restricted Investement, Noncurrent [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale securities	9,800
Municipal Bonds [Member] \| Cleco Power [Member] \| Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] \| Estimated Fair Value [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale securities	9,754	10,203
Municipal Bonds [Member] \| Cleco Power [Member] \| Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] \| Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale securities	0	0
Municipal Bonds [Member] \| Cleco Power [Member] \| Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] \| Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale securities	9,754	10,203
Municipal Bonds [Member] \| Cleco Power [Member] \| Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] \| Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale securities	0	0
Corporate Bond Securities [Member] \| Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] \| Estimated Fair Value [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale securities	512	0
Corporate Bond Securities [Member] \| Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] \| Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale securities	0	0
Corporate Bond Securities [Member] \| Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] \| Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale securities	512	0
Corporate Bond Securities [Member] \| Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] \| Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale securities	0	0
Corporate Bond Securities [Member] \| Cleco Power [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale securities	512	0
Corporate Bond Securities [Member] \| Cleco Power [Member] \| Restricted Investement, Noncurrent [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale securities	500
Corporate Bond Securities [Member] \| Cleco Power [Member] \| Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] \| Estimated Fair Value [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale securities	512	0
Corporate Bond Securities [Member] \| Cleco Power [Member] \| Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] \| Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale securities	0	0
Corporate Bond Securities [Member] \| Cleco Power [Member] \| Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] \| Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale securities	512	0
Corporate Bond Securities [Member] \| Cleco Power [Member] \| Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] \| Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale securities	$ 0	$ 0

This element represents the portion of the balance sheet assertion valued at fair value by the entity whether such amount is presented as a separate caption or as a parenthetical disclosure. Additionally, this element may be used in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements. The element may be used in both the balance sheet and disclosure in the same submission. This item represents Available-for-sale Securities which consist of all investments in certain debt and equity securities neither classified as trading or held-to-maturity securities. A debt security represents a creditor relationship with an enterprise. Debt securities include, among other items, US Treasury securities, US government securities, municipal securities, corporate bonds, convertible debt, commercial paper, and all securitized debt instruments. An equity security represents an ownership interest in an enterprise or the right to acquire or dispose of an ownership interest in an enterprise at fixed or determinable prices. Equity securities include, among other things, common stock, certain preferred stock, warrant rights, call options, and put options, but do not include convertible debt. An entity may opt to provide the reader with additional narrative text to better understand the nature of investments in debt and equity securities which are categorized as Available-for-sale.

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Derivative instrument obligations meeting the definition of a liability which the Company is a party to as of the balance sheet date.

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- Definition

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