Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Summary of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities (Details) (Cleco Power [Member], USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	$ 247,044		$ 255,652
Total regulatory assets, net	523,883		480,956
Fuel and purchased power
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory liabilities			(3,869)
Regulatory assets – deferred taxes, net
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	236,622		229,173
Mining costs
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	12,108		14,019
Interest costs
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	5,672		5,943
Asset removal costs
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	991		936
Postretirement plan costs
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	88,329		93,333
Tree trimming costs
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	7,271		4,840
Training costs
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	7,058		7,175
Surcredits, net
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	14,493		16,738
Amended lignite mining agreement contingency
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	3,781		3,781
Power purchase agreement capacity costs
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	0		9,749
AMI deferred revenue requirement
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	5,999		4,682
Production O&M expenses
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	7,755		8,459
AFUDC equity gross-up
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	73,063		73,306
Rate case costs
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	0		45
Acquisition/ transaction costs [Member]
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	2,680		2,760
Financing costs
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	9,495		9,772
Biomass costs
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	90		114
MISO integration costs
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	3,509		0
Corporate franchise tax
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	2,274		0
Acadia FRP true-up
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	754	800	0
Other
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	654		0
Fuel and purchased power
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	40,217
Coughlin transaction costs | Acquisition/ transaction costs [Member]
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	$ 1,068		$ 0