Debt, Long-term Debt (Details) (USD $)	6 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		6 Months Ended								6 Months Ended						6 Months Ended				6 Months Ended			6 Months Ended	0 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013 Cleco Power [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Cleco Power [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Capital Lease Obligations [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Capital Lease Obligations [Member] Cleco Power [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Senior Notes [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Senior Notes [Member] Cleco Power [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Debt Discount Amortization [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Debt Discount Amortization [Member] Cleco Power [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] Line of Credit [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] Notes Payable to Banks [Member] Cleco Power [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Cleco Katrina Rita Storm Recovery Bonds [Member] Bonds [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Cleco Katrina Rita Storm Recovery Bonds [Member] Bonds [Member] Cleco Power [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Series A GO Zone bonds [Member] Bonds [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Series A GO Zone bonds [Member] Bonds [Member] Cleco Power [Member]	May 03, 2013 Series A GO Zone bonds [Member] Bonds [Member] Cleco Power [Member]	May 03, 2013 Series A GO Zone bonds [Member] London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] Bonds [Member] Cleco Power [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Series B GO Zone bonds [Member] Bonds [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Series B GO Zone bonds [Member] Bonds [Member] Cleco Power [Member]	May 07, 2013 Series B GO Zone bonds [Member] Bonds [Member] Cleco Power [Member]	May 07, 2013 Series B GO Zone bonds [Member] London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] Bonds [Member] Cleco Power [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Cleco Power's solid waste disposal facility bonds, 5.25%, due 2037, mandatory tender on March 1, 2013 [Member] Bonds [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Cleco Power's solid waste disposal facility bonds, 5.25%, due 2037, mandatory tender on March 1, 2013 [Member] Bonds [Member] Cleco Power [Member]	Mar. 01, 2013 Cleco Power's solid waste disposal facility bonds, 5.25%, due 2037, mandatory tender on March 1, 2013 [Member] Bonds [Member] Cleco Power [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Bank Term Loan [Member] Notes Payable to Banks [Member]	May 09, 2013 Bank Term Loan [Member] Notes Payable to Banks [Member] Cleco Power [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Bank Term Loan [Member] Notes Payable to Banks [Member] Cleco Power [Member]	Mar. 20, 2013 Bank Term Loan [Member] Notes Payable to Banks [Member] Cleco Power [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt outstanding, total	$ 1,340,000,000		$ 1,320,000,000
Long-term debt due within one year	16,658,000	91,140,000	16,658,000	91,140,000
Principal payments for Cleco Katrina/Rita storm recovery bonds due within one year													14,500,000	14,500,000
Capital lease payments due within one year	2,200,000		2,200,000
Debt Instrument, Increase (Decrease) for Period, Net	(8,000,000)		(8,000,000)		(1,100,000)	(1,100,000)	(75,000,000)	(75,000,000)	200,000	200,000			(7,100,000)	(7,100,000)	50,000,000	50,000,000			50,000,000	50,000,000			(60,000,000)	(60,000,000)
Debt Instrument, Decrease, Repayment on Bank Term Loan																										25,000,000	25,000,000	25,000,000
Debt Instrument, Increase, New Bank Term Loan																										60,000,000		60,000,000
Face value of outstanding bonds purchased																									60,000,000
Accrued interest paid on purchase of bonds																									1,600,000
Debt Instrument, Face Amount																	50,000,000				50,000,000								60,000,000
Bank term loan, balance																												$ 35,000,000
Interest rate (in hundredths)												1.075%					0.82%					4.25%			0.11%
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate											1.50%							65.00%