Common and Preferred Stock, Stock-Based Compensation (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Pre-Tax Compensation Expense	$ 6,148,000	$ 5,946,000	$ 7,003,000
Tax Benefit (excluding income tax gross-up)	2,366,000	2,288,000	2,695,000
Compensation expense, non-forfeitable dividends paid on non-vested stock not expected to vest and stock options	100,000	100,000	100,000
Amount of stock based compensation capitalized	900,000	800,000
Non-vested share-based compensation arrangements expected to vest (in shares)	166,363
Non-vested share-based compensation arrangements, average vesting period	1 year 6 months
Equity Classification [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Pre-Tax Compensation Expense	6,147,000	4,440,000	3,494,000
Restricted Stock [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Pre-Tax Compensation Expense	6,147,000	4,429,000	3,391,000
Employee Stock Option [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Pre-Tax Compensation Expense	0	11,000	103,000
Common Stock Equivalent Units [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Pre-Tax Compensation Expense	1,000	1,506,000	3,509,000
Cleco Power [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Pre-Tax Compensation Expense	1,754,000	1,683,000	1,796,000
Tax Benefit (excluding income tax gross-up)	675,000	648,000	691,000
Amount of stock based compensation capitalized	700,000	600,000
Cleco Power [Member] | Equity Classification [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Pre-Tax Compensation Expense	1,754,000	1,074,000	678,000
Cleco Power [Member] | Restricted Stock [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Pre-Tax Compensation Expense	1,754,000	1,074,000	678,000
Cleco Power [Member] | Employee Stock Option [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Pre-Tax Compensation Expense	0	0	0
Cleco Power [Member] | Common Stock Equivalent Units [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Pre-Tax Compensation Expense	0	609,000	1,118,000
LTICP [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Non-Vested Stock, total unrecognized before-tax compensation cost	$ 6,100,000