Debt, Credit Facilities (Details) (USD $)				1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	0 Months Ended						12 Months Ended		0 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013 Cleco Corporation [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Cleco Power [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Line of Credit [Member]	Nov. 30, 2013 Line of Credit [Member] Cleco Corporation [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Line of Credit [Member] Cleco Corporation [Member]	Oct. 07, 2011 Line of Credit [Member] Cleco Power [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Line of Credit [Member] Cleco Power [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 Line of Credit [Member] Cleco Power [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Maximum [Member] Cleco Power [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Maximum [Member] Line of Credit [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Maximum [Member] Line of Credit [Member] Cleco Power [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] Line of Credit [Member] Cleco Corporation [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] Line of Credit [Member] Cleco Power [Member]	Jan. 31, 2014 Subsequent Event [Member] Line of Credit [Member] Cleco Corporation [Member]	Jan. 27, 2014 Subsequent Event [Member] Line of Credit [Member] Cleco Power [Member]	Jan. 31, 2014 Subsequent Event [Member] London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] Line of Credit [Member] Cleco Corporation [Member]
Credit Facilities [Abstract]
Maximum borrowing capacity			$ 550,000,000		$ 250,000,000			$ 300,000,000
Write off of unamortized Debt expense				1,000,000.0
All-in interest rate												1.275%	1.075%			1.075%
Facility fees (in hundredths)					0.225%	0.175%								0.175%
Amount outstanding					5,000,000		20,000,000
All-in interest rate	1.445%	1.245%										1.445%
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount							1,000,000
Remaining borrowing capacity					245,000,000		279,000,000
Line of Credit Facility amount repaid														5,000,000	10,000,000
Ratio of Indebtedness to Net Capital									0.65	0.65	0.65
Unrestricted retained earnings		$ 666,300,000	$ 862,200,000				$ 666,300,000