Schedule I Financial Statements of Cleco Corporation, Cash Distributions and Equity Contributions (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended									12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013 Cleco Power [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Cleco Power [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Cleco Power [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Cleco Power [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Cleco Power [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Cleco Power [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Cleco Power [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Cleco Power [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Cleco Power [Member] Maximum [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 CLECO CORPORATION (Parent Company Only) [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 CLECO CORPORATION (Parent Company Only) [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 CLECO CORPORATION (Parent Company Only) [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 CLECO CORPORATION (Parent Company Only) [Member] Cleco Power [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 CLECO CORPORATION (Parent Company Only) [Member] Cleco Power [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 CLECO CORPORATION (Parent Company Only) [Member] Cleco Power [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 CLECO CORPORATION (Parent Company Only) [Member] Midstream [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 CLECO CORPORATION (Parent Company Only) [Member] Midstream [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 CLECO CORPORATION (Parent Company Only) [Member] Midstream [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 CLECO CORPORATION (Parent Company Only) [Member] Diversified Lands [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 CLECO CORPORATION (Parent Company Only) [Member] Diversified Lands [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 CLECO CORPORATION (Parent Company Only) [Member] Diversified Lands [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 CLECO CORPORATION (Parent Company Only) [Member] Perryville [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 CLECO CORPORATION (Parent Company Only) [Member] Perryville [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 CLECO CORPORATION (Parent Company Only) [Member] Perryville [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 CLECO CORPORATION (Parent Company Only) [Member] Attala [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 CLECO CORPORATION (Parent Company Only) [Member] Attala [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 CLECO CORPORATION (Parent Company Only) [Member] Attala [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 CLECO CORPORATION (Parent Company Only) [Member] Cleco Innovations LLC [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 CLECO CORPORATION (Parent Company Only) [Member] Cleco Innovations LLC [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Ratio of Indebtedness to Net Capital									0.65
Retained Earnings, Unappropriated	$ 666,300,000
Distributions and Equity Contributions [Abstract]
Distribution payments to parent	30,000,000	50,000,000	25,000,000	0	0	18,000,000	10,000,000	30,000,000		106,100,000	63,700,000	291,219,000	105,000,000	58,000,000	130,000,000	0	0	159,819,000	0	2,900,000	0	700,000	1,500,000	700,000	400,000	1,300,000	700,000
Contributions To Affiliates										$ 0	$ 16,191,000	$ 40,345,000					$ 16,191,000	$ 35,500,000					$ 0	$ 1,845,000				$ 0	$ 3,000,000