Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012
Operating activities
Net income	$ 69,166	$ 76,718
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	72,675	72,963
Unearned compensation expense	3,055	2,912
Allowance for other funds used during construction	(1,577)	(2,416)
Net deferred income taxes	26,638	(3,542)
Deferred fuel costs	(478)	(4,670)
Cash surrender value of company-/trust-owned life insurance	(2,280)	(1,486)
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	(9,475)	(1,620)
Unbilled revenue	(7,350)	(5,704)
Fuel, materials and supplies inventory	(9,793)	(9,978)
Accounts payable	(21,026)	(41,841)
Customer deposits	6,316	5,860
Postretirement benefit obligations	(31,020)	4,167
Regulatory assets and liabilities, net	(11,842)	(8,207)
Other deferred accounts	(10,189)	(7,322)
Taxes accrued	64,389	31,039
Interest accrued	(842)	(5,109)
Other operating	(1,005)	1,547
Net cash provided by operating activities	135,362	103,311
Investing activities
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	(85,369)	(102,278)
Allowance for other funds used during construction	1,577	2,416
Property plant and equipment grants	729	4,603
Insurance reimbursement for property loss	0	5,454
Return of equity investment in tax credit fund	9	22,210
Contributions to tax credit fund	(24,162)	(31,326)
Transfer of cash from restricted accounts	1,730	192
Purchase of restricted investments	(4,334)	0
Maturity of restricted investments	2,559	0
Other investing	139	(1,096)
Net cash used in investing activities	(107,122)	(99,825)
Financing activities
Issuance of short-term debt	3,000	0
Draws on credit facility	173,000	0
Payments on credit facility	(173,000)	(10,000)
Issuance of long-term debt	160,000	50,000
Retirement of long-term debt	(107,129)	(67,957)
Repurchase of long-term debt	(60,000)	0
Repurchase of common stock	0	8,007
Settlement of interest rate swap	(3,269)	0
Dividends paid on common stock	(42,520)	(38,077)
Other financing	(1,775)	672
Net cash used in financing activities	(51,693)	(73,369)
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(23,453)	(69,883)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	31,020	93,576
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	7,567	23,693
Supplementary cash flow information
Interest paid (net of amount capitalized)	39,120	40,320
Income taxes (refunded) paid, net	(45,789)	13
Supplementary non-cash investing and financing activities
Accrued additions to property, plant, and equipment	13,096	13,921
Non-cash additions to property, plant, and equipment	1,280	7,105
Cleco Power [Member]
Operating activities
Net income	62,257	64,089
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	70,893	66,482
Allowance for other funds used during construction	(1,577)	(2,416)
Net deferred income taxes	33,802	19,830
Deferred fuel costs	(478)	(4,670)
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	(9,147)	(2,468)
Accounts and notes receivable, affiliate	2,361	(1,439)
Unbilled revenue	(7,350)	(5,704)
Fuel, materials and supplies inventory	(9,758)	(9,926)
Accounts payable	(15,924)	(36,382)
Accounts and notes payable, affiliate	575	1,351
Customer deposits	6,316	5,860
Postretirement benefit obligations	(31,959)	3,103
Regulatory assets and liabilities, net	(11,842)	(8,207)
Other deferred accounts	(11,187)	(10,363)
Taxes accrued	15,442	17,972
Interest accrued	(309)	(3,191)
Other operating	93	(409)
Net cash provided by operating activities	92,208	93,512
Investing activities
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	(81,436)	(99,392)
Allowance for other funds used during construction	1,577	2,416
Property plant and equipment grants	729	4,603
Transfer of cash from restricted accounts	1,730	192
Purchase of restricted investments	(4,334)	0
Maturity of restricted investments	2,559	0
Other investing	515	597
Net cash used in investing activities	(78,660)	(91,584)
Financing activities
Issuance of short-term debt	3,000	0
Draws on credit facility	140,000	0
Payments on credit facility	(140,000)	0
Issuance of long-term debt	160,000	50,000
Retirement of long-term debt	(107,129)	(67,957)
Repurchase of long-term debt	(60,000)	0
Settlement of interest rate swap	(3,269)	0
Distribution to parent	(25,000)	(40,000)
Other financing	(1,775)	(1,193)
Net cash used in financing activities	(34,173)	(59,150)
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(20,625)	(57,222)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	23,368	67,458
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	2,743	10,236
Supplementary cash flow information
Interest paid (net of amount capitalized)	38,966	40,248
Income taxes (refunded) paid, net	(456)	0
Supplementary non-cash investing and financing activities
Accrued additions to property, plant, and equipment	13,026	13,714
Non-cash additions to property, plant, and equipment	1,280	7,105
Employee Stock [Member] | Common Stock [Member]
Supplementary non-cash investing and financing activities
Issuance of common stock - ESPP	$ 160	$ 86