Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, Property, Plant, and Equipment (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Property, Plant, and Equipment [Abstract]
Capitalized Computer Software Costs, Gross	$ 6,500,000	$ 5,300,000
Capitalized Computer Software Costs, Amortization	1,400,000	1,200,000	1,500,000
Property, plant, and equipment, net [Abstract]
Regulated utility plants	4,052,774,000	3,871,940,000
Public Utilities, Property, Plant and Equipment, Other Property, Plant and Equipment	273,748,000	268,254,000
Property, plant and equipment	4,326,522,000	4,140,194,000
Accumulated depreciation	(1,351,223,000)	(1,311,273,000)
Net property, plant, and equipment	2,975,299,000	2,828,921,000
Minimum [Member]
Useful lives of property, plant and equipment [Abstract]
Utility plant (in years)	5 years
Other (in years)	5 years
Maximum [Member]
Useful lives of property, plant and equipment [Abstract]
Utility plant (in years)	58 years
Other (in years)	44 years
Cleco Power [Member]
Property, Plant, and Equipment [Abstract]
Annual depreciation provisions expressed as a percentage of average depreciable property (in hundredths)	2.70%	2.68%	2.80%
Property, plant, and equipment, net [Abstract]
Property, plant and equipment	4,052,774,000	3,871,940,000
Accumulated depreciation	(1,260,843,000)	(1,227,078,000)
Net property, plant, and equipment	$ 2,791,931,000	$ 2,644,862,000