Litigation, Other Commitments and Contingencies, and Disclosures about Guarantees, Fuel Transportation Agreement and Capital Leases (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Future minimum lease payments under capital leases [Abstract]
Current liabilities	$ 2,305,000	$ 2,171,000
Cleco Power [Member]
Future minimum lease payments under capital leases [Abstract]
Current liabilities	2,305,000	2,171,000
Cleco Power [Member] | Barges [Member]
Fuel Transportation Agreement [Abstract]
Repayments of Long-term Capital Lease Obligations	3,700,000	4,300,000
Analysis of leased property under capital leases by major classes [Abstract]
Barges	8,918,000	11,350,000
Capital Leases, Lessee Balance Sheet, Assets by Major Class, Accumulated Depreciation	2,171,000	0
Net capital leases	6,747,000	11,350,000
Future minimum lease payments under capital leases [Abstract]
2014	3,725,000
2015	3,725,000
2016	3,735,000
2017	2,480,000
Total minimum lease payments	13,665,000
Less: executory costs	3,416,000
Net minimum lease payments	10,249,000
Less: amount representing interest	1,070,000
Present value of net minimum lease payments	9,179,000
Current liabilities	2,305,000
Non-current liabilities	6,874,000
Operating Leases, Income Statement, Sublease Revenue	$ 0	$ 400,000