Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Net income	$ 160,685	$ 163,648	$ 195,848
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	161,047	162,430	160,765
Return on equity investment in investees	0	0	58,665
Income from equity investments	0	0	(62,050)
Unearned compensation expense	6,446	6,180	7,416
Allowance for other funds used during construction - equity	(4,081)	(6,711)	(4,947)
Net deferred income taxes	65,989	19,930	23,618
Deferred fuel costs	5,630	(12,222)	653
Cash surrender value of company-/trust-owned life insurance	(3,669)	(3,300)	1,687
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	(26,357)	(11,543)	(19,146)
Unbilled revenue	(2,504)	1,468	14,520
Fuel, materials and supplies inventory	(18,626)	(9,539)	35,442
Prepayments	(3,502)	(59)	1,520
Accounts payable	(1,656)	(23,016)	(3,618)
Customer deposits	12,213	11,167	12,693
Postretirement benefit obligations	(24,541)	7,485	(55,529)
Regulatory assets and liabilities, net	(30,524)	(31,043)	(43,131)
Contingent sale obligations	0	0	10,900
Other deferred accounts	(5,547)	(15,695)	4,305
Taxes accrued	53,197	9,786	5,171
Interest accrued	(768)	(6,676)	(38,103)
Energy risk management assets and liabilities, net	0	38	4,646
Other operating	(1,742)	777	(1,264)
Net cash provided by operating activities	341,690	263,105	310,061
Investing activities
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	(188,614)	(245,033)	(202,405)
Allowance for other funds used during construction - equity	4,081	6,711	4,947
Property plant and equipment grants	729	16,647	2,788
Insurance reimbursement for property loss	1,306	5,454	4,482
Return of equity investment in investees	0	0	89,654
Premiums paid on company-/trust-owned life insurance	(3,705)	(2,973)	(2,972)
Return of equity investment in tax credit fund	1,619	37,652	33,430
Contributions to tax credit fund	(51,011)	(59,645)	(43,921)
Transfer of cash from restricted accounts	201	21,607	5,220
Purchase of restricted investments	(8,782)	(11,966)	0
Maturity of restricted investments	6,816	0	0
Other investing	1,144	2,382	5,061
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	(236,216)	(229,164)	(103,716)
Financing activities
Retirement of short-term debt	0	0	(150,000)
Draws on credit facility	228,000	25,000	95,000
Payments on credit facility	(228,000)	(10,000)	(100,000)
Issuance of long-term debt	160,000	50,000	100,000
Retirement of long-term debt	(113,969)	(74,368)	(12,269)
Repurchase of long-term debt	(60,000)	0	(132,000)
Repurchase of common stock	0	(8,007)	(13,009)
Dividends paid on common stock	(86,376)	(78,844)	(68,023)
Other financing	(4,224)	(278)	(4,960)
Net cash used in financing activities	(107,838)	(96,497)	(303,897)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(2,364)	(62,556)	(97,552)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	31,020	93,576	191,128
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	28,656	31,020	93,576
Supplementary cash flow information
Interest paid (net of amount capitalized)	77,296	80,823	95,487
Income taxes (refunded) paid, net	(47,374)	(624)	46,636
Supplementary non-cash investing and financing activities
Accrued additions to property, plant, and equipment	18,627	16,102	17,525
Non-cash additions to property, plant, and equipment	1,280	21,559	7,824
Cleco Power [Member]
Net income	150,410	146,848	142,835
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	147,452	137,053	127,109
Allowance for other funds used during construction - equity	(4,081)	(6,711)	(4,947)
Net deferred income taxes	81,534	57,364	45,608
Deferred fuel costs	5,630	(12,222)	653
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	(26,491)	(12,290)	(18,206)
Unbilled revenue	(2,504)	1,468	14,520
Fuel, materials and supplies inventory	(18,539)	(9,361)	35,673
Accounts payable	(848)	(22,874)	(4,498)
Accounts and notes payable, affiliate	(3,403)	(122)	600
Customer deposits	12,213	11,167	12,693
Postretirement benefit obligations	(28,306)	5,947	(57,531)
Regulatory assets and liabilities, net	(30,524)	(31,043)	(43,131)
Other deferred accounts	(8,212)	(19,989)	(2,399)
Taxes accrued	5,372	4,503	926
Interest accrued	(304)	(5,431)	(5,609)
Energy risk management assets and liabilities, net	0	38	4,646
Other operating	5	(245)	2,816
Net cash provided by operating activities	279,404	244,100	251,758
Investing activities
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	(181,154)	(238,943)	(184,615)
Allowance for other funds used during construction - equity	4,081	6,711	4,947
Property plant and equipment grants	729	16,647	2,788
Transfer of cash from restricted accounts	125	21,607	5,220
Purchase of restricted investments	(8,782)	(11,966)	0
Maturity of restricted investments	6,816	0	0
Other investing	2,367	2,387	(574)
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	(175,818)	(203,557)	(172,234)
Financing activities
Draws on credit facility	180,000	0	60,000
Payments on credit facility	(160,000)	0	(60,000)
Issuance of long-term debt	160,000	50,000	100,000
Retirement of long-term debt	(113,969)	(74,368)	(12,269)
Repurchase of long-term debt	(60,000)	0	(132,000)
Distribution to parent	(105,000)	(58,000)	(130,000)
Other financing	(3,661)	(2,265)	(4,073)
Net cash used in financing activities	(105,899)	(84,633)	(196,978)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(2,313)	(44,090)	(117,454)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	23,368	67,458	184,912
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	21,055	23,368	67,458
Supplementary cash flow information
Interest paid (net of amount capitalized)	77,079	80,729	93,735
Income taxes (refunded) paid, net	(456)	(711)	2,233
Supplementary non-cash investing and financing activities
Accrued additions to property, plant, and equipment	18,414	15,547	21,007
Non-cash additions to property, plant, and equipment	1,280	21,559	7,824
Common Stock [Member] | Employee Stock [Member]
Supplementary non-cash investing and financing activities
Issuance of common stock - ESPP	318	340	328
Interest Rate Swap [Member]
Financing activities
Settlement of hedge	0	0	(18,636)
Interest Rate Swap [Member] | Cleco Power [Member]
Financing activities
Settlement of hedge	0	0	(18,636)
Interest Rate Swap [Member]
Financing activities
Settlement of hedge	(3,269)	0	0
Interest Rate Swap [Member] | Cleco Power [Member]
Financing activities
Settlement of hedge	$ (3,269)	$ 0	$ 0