Fair Value Accounting, Derivatives and Hedging (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended		6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended				3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended		1 Months Ended				3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013 Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments [Member] Energy Related Derivative [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments [Member] AccumulatedDeferredFuel [Member] Energy Related Derivative [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments [Member] AccumulatedDeferredFuel [Member] Energy Related Derivative [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Derivatives Designated as Hedging Instruments [Member] Interest Rate Contract [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Derivatives Designated as Hedging Instruments [Member] Interest Rate Contract [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Derivatives Designated as Hedging Instruments [Member] Interest Rate Contract [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Derivatives Designated as Hedging Instruments [Member] Interest Rate Contract [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Cleco Power [Member] MMBTU	Dec. 31, 2012 Cleco Power [Member] MMBTU	Jun. 30, 2013 Cleco Power [Member] Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Cleco Power [Member] Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Cleco Power [Member] Derivatives Designated as Hedging Instruments [Member] Interest Rate Contract [Member]	May 30, 2013 Cleco Power [Member] Swap [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Cleco Power [Member] Swap [Member]	May 07, 2013 Cleco Power [Member] Swap [Member]	Mar. 30, 2013 Cleco Power [Member] Swap [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Fuel Used For Electric Generation [Member] Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments [Member] Fuel Cost Hedges [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Fuel Used For Electric Generation [Member] Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments [Member] Fuel Cost Hedges [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Fuel Used For Electric Generation [Member] Cleco Power [Member] Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments [Member] Energy Related Derivative [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Fuel Used For Electric Generation [Member] Cleco Power [Member] Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments [Member] Energy Related Derivative [Member]
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) Recognized in Income, Net	$ 0	$ 0										$ 0	$ 0
Derivative Instruments, Loss Recognized in Income																			4,100,000	7,600,000	4,100,000	7,600,000
Derivative, Unrealized Gain (Loss) On Derivative				0
Derivative Instruments Not Designated as Hedging Instruments, Gain (Loss), Net					0
Derivative Instruments Not Designated as Hedging Instruments, Liability, at Fair Value			0
Derivative, Nonmonetary Notional Amount										0	0
Gain (Loss) on the settlement of Forward Starting Interest Rate Derivative																	(3,300,000)
Gain (loss) on forward starting interest rate swap remaining in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)																		(400,000)
Deferred Gain (Loss) as a Regulatory Asset on settlement of Forward Starting Interest Rate Derivative																(2,900,000)
Amortization Period of Gain (Loss) on settlement of the Forward Starting Interest Rate Derivative															25 years
Schedule of Derivative Instruments [Abstract]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) Recognized in Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Effective Portion, Net						0	(6,191,000)	1,762,000	(1,535,000)
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) Reclassified from Accumulated OCI into Income, Effective Portion, Net						(59,000)	(57,000)	(79,000)	(57,000)
Amount of ineffectiveness related to the interest rate derivative						2,800,000	0	3,300,000	2,600,000
Interest Rate Cash Flow Hedge Gain (Loss) to be Reclassified During Next 12 Months, Net														$ (300,000)