Income Taxes, Current and Deferred Income Tax Expense (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Components of Income Tax Expense [Line Items]
Change in total tax benefit from items charged directly to shareholder's equity	$ 6,800,000
Current and deferred income tax expense [Abstract]
Current federal income tax (benefit) expense	15,672,000	47,768,000	77,659,000
Deferred federal income tax expense	65,237,000	21,724,000	26,577,000
Amortization of accumulated deferred investment tax credits	(1,108,000)	(1,180,000)	(1,238,000)
Total federal income tax expense	79,801,000	68,312,000	102,998,000
Current state income tax (benefit) expense	(978,000)	(1,192,000)	2,857,000
Deferred state income tax expense (benefit)	752,000	(1,793,000)	(2,958,000)
Total state income tax benefit	(226,000)	(2,985,000)	(101,000)
Total taxes	79,575,000	65,327,000	102,897,000
Items charged or credited directly to shareholders' equity
Total tax expense (benefit) from items charged directly to shareholders' equity	4,062,000	(2,771,000)	(10,347,000)
Total federal and state income tax expense	83,637,000	62,556,000	92,550,000
Amortization and Interest Recognized	13,300,000	38,600,000	27,500,000
Cleco Power [Member]
Components of Income Tax Expense [Line Items]
Change in total tax benefit from items charged directly to shareholder's equity	3,300,000
Current and deferred income tax expense [Abstract]
Current federal income tax (benefit) expense	(33,000)	13,008,000	23,347,000
Deferred federal income tax expense	81,188,000	59,008,000	47,763,000
Amortization of accumulated deferred investment tax credits	(1,108,000)	(1,180,000)	(1,238,000)
Total federal income tax expense	80,047,000	70,836,000	69,872,000
Current state income tax (benefit) expense	(1,012,000)	(1,060,000)	1,691,000
Deferred state income tax expense (benefit)	346,000	(1,643,000)	(2,154,000)
Total state income tax benefit	(666,000)	(2,703,000)	(463,000)
Total taxes	79,381,000	68,133,000	69,409,000
Items charged or credited directly to shareholders' equity
Total tax expense (benefit) from items charged directly to shareholders' equity	3,280,000	23,000	(9,966,000)
Total federal and state income tax expense	82,661,000	68,156,000	59,443,000
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) [Member]
Items charged or credited directly to shareholders' equity
Total tax expense (benefit) from items charged directly to shareholders' equity	3,497,000	(2,386,000)	(8,908,000)
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) [Member] | Cleco Power [Member]
Items charged or credited directly to shareholders' equity
Total tax expense (benefit) from items charged directly to shareholders' equity	2,824,000	20,000	(8,580,000)
State and Local Jurisdiction [Member]
Items charged or credited directly to shareholders' equity
Total tax expense (benefit) from items charged directly to shareholders' equity	565,000	(385,000)	(1,439,000)
State and Local Jurisdiction [Member] | Cleco Power [Member]
Items charged or credited directly to shareholders' equity
Total tax expense (benefit) from items charged directly to shareholders' equity	$ 456,000	$ 3,000	$ (1,386,000)