Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013
Operating activities
Net Income	$ 62,557	$ 69,166
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	85,264	72,675
Unearned compensation expense	3,569	3,055
Allowance for other funds used during construction	(3,660)	(1,577)
Net deferred income taxes	23,685	26,638
Deferred fuel costs	(25,971)	(478)
Cash surrender value of company-/trust-owned life insurance	(3,011)	(2,280)
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	(17,232)	(9,475)
Unbilled revenue	(16,195)	(7,350)
Fuel, materials and supplies inventory	(6,785)	(9,793)
Accounts payable	19,909	(21,026)
Customer deposits	8,017	6,316
Postretirement benefit obligations	4,486	(31,020)
Regulatory assets and liabilities, net	(4,491)	(11,842)
Other deferred accounts	(14,815)	(10,189)
Taxes accrued	1,777	64,389
Interest accrued	3,522	(842)
Other operating	4,526	(1,005)
Net cash provided by operating activities	125,152	135,362
Investing activities
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	(113,175)	(85,369)
Allowance for other funds used during construction	3,660	1,577
Property plant and equipment grants	0	729
Return of investment in company-owned life insurance	1,303	0
Return of equity investment in tax credit fund	1,062	9
Contributions to tax credit fund	(22,364)	(24,162)
Transfer of cash (to) from restricted accounts	(9,557)	1,730
Purchase of restricted investments	0	(4,334)
Sale of restricted investments	11,138	0
Maturity of restricted investments	1,458	2,559
Other investing	(1,221)	139
Net cash used in investing activities	(127,696)	(107,122)
Financing activities
Issuance of short-term debt	0	3,000
Draws on credit facility	139,000	173,000
Payments on credit facility	(74,000)	(173,000)
Issuance of long-term debt	0	160,000
Retirement of long-term debt	(7,581)	(107,129)
Repurchase of long-term debt	0	(60,000)
Repurchase of common stock	(12,449)	0
Settlement of interest rate swap	0	(3,269)
Dividends paid on common stock	(46,608)	(42,520)
Other financing	(1,237)	(1,775)
Net cash used in financing activities	(2,875)	(51,693)
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(5,419)	(23,453)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	28,656	31,020
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	23,237	7,567
Supplementary cash flow information
Interest paid. net of amount capitalized	36,343	39,120
Income taxes paid (refunded), net	14,219	(45,789)
Supplementary non-cash investing and financing activities
Accrued additions to property, plant, and equipment	21,566	13,096
Non-cash additions to property, plant, and equipment, net	0	1,280
Employee Stock [Member] | Common Stock [Member]
Supplementary non-cash investing and financing activities
Issuance of common stock - ESPP	148	160
Cleco Power [Member]
Operating activities
Net Income	58,965	62,257
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	82,139	70,893
Allowance for other funds used during construction	(3,660)	(1,577)
Net deferred income taxes	31,493	33,802
Deferred fuel costs	(25,971)	(478)
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	(17,048)	(9,147)
Accounts and notes receivable, affiliate	393	2,361
Unbilled revenue	(16,195)	(7,350)
Fuel, materials and supplies inventory	(6,752)	(9,758)
Accounts payable	25,861	(15,924)
Accounts and notes payable, affiliate	(2,626)	575
Customer deposits	8,017	6,316
Postretirement benefit obligations	2,548	(31,959)
Regulatory assets and liabilities, net	(4,491)	(11,842)
Other deferred accounts	(10,404)	(11,187)
Taxes accrued	(3,072)	15,442
Interest accrued	1,210	(309)
Other operating	4,462	93
Net cash provided by operating activities	124,869	92,208
Investing activities
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	(112,627)	(81,436)
Allowance for other funds used during construction	3,660	1,577
Property plant and equipment grants	0	729
Return of investment in company-owned life insurance	1,303	0
Transfer of cash (to) from restricted accounts	(9,557)	1,730
Purchase of restricted investments	0	(4,334)
Sale of restricted investments	11,138	0
Maturity of restricted investments	1,458	2,559
Other investing	412	515
Net cash used in investing activities	(104,213)	(78,660)
Financing activities
Issuance of short-term debt	0	3,000
Draws on credit facility	112,000	140,000
Payments on credit facility	(57,000)	(140,000)
Issuance of long-term debt	0	160,000
Retirement of long-term debt	(7,581)	(107,129)
Repurchase of long-term debt	0	(60,000)
Settlement of interest rate swap	0	(3,269)
Distribution to parent	(70,000)	(25,000)
Other financing	(1,232)	(1,775)
Net cash used in financing activities	(23,813)	(34,173)
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(3,157)	(20,625)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	21,055	23,368
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	17,898	2,743
Supplementary cash flow information
Interest paid. net of amount capitalized	36,337	38,966
Income taxes paid (refunded), net	255	(456)
Supplementary non-cash investing and financing activities
Accrued additions to property, plant, and equipment	21,480	13,026
Non-cash additions to property, plant, and equipment, net	$ 176,244	$ 1,280