Disclosures about Segments (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2014 entity	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2014 entity	Jun. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of transmission interconnection facility subsidiaries	2		2
Revenue
Electric operations	$ 316,997	$ 252,765	$ 586,756	$ 482,191
Tolling operations		0	0	0
Other operations	14,568	11,531	29,381	23,074
Electric customer credits	(22,495)	(402)	(22,681)	(424)
Affiliate revenue	0	0	0	0
Operating revenue, net	309,070	263,894	593,456	504,841
Depreciation	37,570	34,740	79,311	68,773
Interest charges	20,065	20,888	40,334	42,344
Interest income	350	257	952	457
Federal and state income tax expense (benefit)	14,528	19,422	28,206	32,503
Net Income (loss)	36,633	42,032	62,557	69,166
Additions to (reductions in) long-lived assets	58,137	45,795	116,194	89,744
Equity investment in investees	14,540		14,540		14,540
Total segment assets	4,318,619		4,318,619		4,215,262
Operating Segments [Member] | Cleco Power [Member]
Revenue
Electric operations	316,997	252,765	586,756	482,191
Tolling operations		0	0	0
Other operations	14,027	11,027	28,299	22,064
Electric customer credits	(22,495)	(402)	(22,681)	(424)
Affiliate revenue	330	335	665	670
Operating revenue, net	308,859	263,725	593,039	504,501
Depreciation	37,295	32,959	77,498	65,288
Interest charges	20,639	20,878	40,399	42,227
Interest income	350	255	951	453
Federal and state income tax expense (benefit)	16,071	17,965	30,281	32,203
Net Income (loss)	32,658	34,464	58,965	62,257
Additions to (reductions in) long-lived assets	57,808	44,588	291,961	86,147
Equity investment in investees	14,532		14,532		14,532
Total segment assets	4,224,569		4,224,569		3,943,712
Operating Segments [Member] | Midstream [Member]
Revenue
Electric operations		0		0
Tolling operations		9,307		14,144
Other operations		0		1
Electric customer credits		0		0
Affiliate revenue		0		0
Operating revenue, net		9,307		14,145
Depreciation		1,501		3,001
Interest charges		(411)		(649)
Interest income		0		0
Federal and state income tax expense (benefit)		3,979		3,139
Net Income (loss)		6,350		5,016
Additions to (reductions in) long-lived assets		497		2,326
Equity investment in investees					0
Total segment assets					225,832
Operating Segments [Member] | Other [Member]
Revenue
Electric operations	0	0	0	0
Tolling operations		0	5,467	0
Other operations	541	504	1,082	1,008
Electric customer credits	0	0	0	0
Affiliate revenue	14,153	15,168	27,346	27,093
Operating revenue, net	14,694	15,672	33,895	28,101
Depreciation	275	280	1,813	483
Interest charges	(681)	281	(306)	444
Interest income	(106)	(138)	(240)	(318)
Federal and state income tax expense (benefit)	(1,543)	(2,521)	(2,075)	(2,839)
Net Income (loss)	3,975	1,218	3,593	1,893
Additions to (reductions in) long-lived assets	329	710	(175,767)	1,271
Equity investment in investees	8		8		8
Total segment assets	61,597		61,597		88,234
Intersegment Elimination [Member]
Revenue
Electric operations	0	0	0	0
Tolling operations		(9,307)	(5,467)	(14,144)
Other operations	0	0	0	1
Electric customer credits	0	0	0	0
Affiliate revenue	(14,483)	(15,503)	(28,011)	(27,763)
Operating revenue, net	(14,483)	(24,810)	(33,478)	(41,906)
Depreciation	0	0	0	1
Interest charges	107	140	241	322
Interest income	106	140	241	322
Federal and state income tax expense (benefit)	0	(1)	0	0
Net Income (loss)	0	0	(1)	0
Additions to (reductions in) long-lived assets	0	0	0	0
Equity investment in investees	0		0		0
Total segment assets	$ 32,453		$ 32,453		$ (42,516)