Fair Value Accounting, Derivatives and Hedging (Details) (USD $)			12 Months Ended																		12 Months Ended	0 Months Ended	1 Months Ended				12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013 MW	Dec. 31, 2012 MW	Dec. 31, 2013 Electric operations [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Electric operations [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Electric operations [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Power purchased for utility [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Power purchased for utility [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Power purchased for utility [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments [Member] Energy Related Derivative [Member] Fuel Used For Electric Generation [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments [Member] Energy Related Derivative [Member] Fuel Used For Electric Generation [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments [Member] Energy Related Derivative [Member] Fuel Used For Electric Generation [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Derivatives Designated as Hedging Instruments [Member] Interest Rate Derivatives [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Derivatives Designated as Hedging Instruments [Member] Interest Rate Derivatives [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Derivatives Designated as Hedging Instruments [Member] Interest Rate Derivatives [Member]	May 07, 2013 Cleco Power [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Cleco Power [Member] Energy Related Derivative [Member] MMBTU	Dec. 31, 2012 Cleco Power [Member] Energy Related Derivative [Member] MMBTU	Dec. 31, 2013 Cleco Power [Member] Interest Rate Derivatives [Member]	Nov. 14, 2011 Swap [Member] Cleco Power [Member]	May 30, 2013 Swap [Member] Cleco Power [Member]	May 07, 2013 Swap [Member] Cleco Power [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Energy risk management asset [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Energy risk management asset [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 AccumulatedDeferredFuel [Member] Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments [Member] Energy Related Derivative [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 AccumulatedDeferredFuel [Member] Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments [Member] Energy Related Derivative [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 AccumulatedDeferredFuel [Member] Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments [Member] Energy Related Derivative [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 AccumulatedDeferredFuel [Member] FTRs [Member] Cleco Power [Member] Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Energy risk management liabilities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Energy risk management liabilities [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
FTRs Not Designated as Hedging Instruments Asset, at Fair Value																									$ 9,020,000	$ 0
FTRs Not Designated as Hedging Instruments Liability, at Fair Value																															382,000	0
FTRs Not Designated as Hedging Instruments, at Fair Value, Net	8,638,000	0
Amount of loss recognized in income on derivatives												0	8,277,000	18,119,000
Gain (Loss) on FTRs Not Designated as Hedging Instruments			243,000	0	0	(19,000)	0	0
Derivative, Gain (Loss) on Derivative, Net									224,000	(8,277,000)	(18,119,000)
Unrealized gains (losses)																											0	0	(5,300,000)	8,600,000
Derivative Instruments Not Designated as Hedging Instruments, Gain (Loss), Net																											0	0	(1,200,000)
Open natural gas positions																			0	0
MWh of FTRs Held	6,800,000	0
Interest Rate Derivative, Notional Amount																						50,000,000
Interest Rate Derivative, Remaining Maturity																						30 years
Derivative, Swaption Interest Rate																						3.05%
Gain (Loss) on the settlement of Forward Starting Interest Rate Derivative																		(3,300,000)						(3,300,000)
Deferred Gain (Loss) as a Regulatory Asset of Forward Starting Interest Rate Derivative																								(2,900,000)
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Cumulative Changes in Net Gain (Loss) from Interest Rate Derivative																								(400,000)
Amortization Period of Gain (Loss) on settlement of the Forward Starting Interest Rate Derivative																							25 years
Interest Rate Derivative, Gain (Loss) Reclassified from Accumulated OCI into Income, Effective Portion, Net															(251,000)	(60,000)	334,000
Interest Rate Derivative, Gain (Loss) Recognized in Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Effective Portion, Net															2,202,000	704,000	(25,661,000)
Interest Rate Derivative Gain (Loss) to be Reclassified within Twelve Months																					$ (300,000)