Fair Value Accounting, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures(Details) (USD $)																					3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014 Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, Current [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, Noncurrent [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Cash and Cash Equivalents [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Commercial Paper [Member] Restricted Investment, Noncurrent [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Municipal Bonds [Member] Restricted Investment, Noncurrent [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Corporate Bonds [Member] Restricted Investment, Noncurrent [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Federal Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities [Member] Restricted Investment, Noncurrent [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Cleco Power [Member] Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, Current [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Cleco Power [Member] Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, Noncurrent [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Cleco Power [Member] Cash and Cash Equivalents [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Cleco Power [Member] Commercial Paper [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Cleco Power [Member] Commercial Paper [Member] Restricted Investment, Noncurrent [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Cleco Power [Member] Municipal Bonds [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Cleco Power [Member] Municipal Bonds [Member] Restricted Investment, Noncurrent [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Cleco Power [Member] Corporate Bonds [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Cleco Power [Member] Corporate Bonds [Member] Restricted Investment, Noncurrent [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Cleco Power [Member] Federal Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Cleco Power [Member] Federal Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities [Member] Restricted Investment, Noncurrent [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 FTRs [Member] Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 FTRs [Member] Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 FTRs [Member] Low [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 FTRs [Member] Low [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 FTRs [Member] High [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 FTRs [Member] High [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Estimated Fair Value [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Estimated Fair Value [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Estimated Fair Value [Member] Commercial Paper [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Estimated Fair Value [Member] Commercial Paper [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Estimated Fair Value [Member] Municipal Bonds [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Estimated Fair Value [Member] Municipal Bonds [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Estimated Fair Value [Member] Corporate Bonds [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Estimated Fair Value [Member] Corporate Bonds [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Estimated Fair Value [Member] Federal Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Estimated Fair Value [Member] Federal Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] Commercial Paper [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] Commercial Paper [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] Municipal Bonds [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] Municipal Bonds [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] Corporate Bonds [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] Corporate Bonds [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] Federal Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] Federal Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] Commercial Paper [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] Commercial Paper [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] Municipal Bonds [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] Municipal Bonds [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] Corporate Bonds [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] Corporate Bonds [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] Federal Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] Federal Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] Commercial Paper [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] Commercial Paper [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] Municipal Bonds [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] Municipal Bonds [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] Corporate Bonds [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] Corporate Bonds [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] Federal Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] Federal Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Cleco Power [Member] Estimated Fair Value [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Cleco Power [Member] Estimated Fair Value [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Cleco Power [Member] Estimated Fair Value [Member] Commercial Paper [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Cleco Power [Member] Estimated Fair Value [Member] Commercial Paper [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Cleco Power [Member] Estimated Fair Value [Member] Municipal Bonds [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Cleco Power [Member] Estimated Fair Value [Member] Municipal Bonds [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Cleco Power [Member] Estimated Fair Value [Member] Corporate Bonds [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Cleco Power [Member] Estimated Fair Value [Member] Corporate Bonds [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Cleco Power [Member] Estimated Fair Value [Member] Federal Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Cleco Power [Member] Estimated Fair Value [Member] Federal Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Cleco Power [Member] Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Cleco Power [Member] Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Cleco Power [Member] Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] Commercial Paper [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Cleco Power [Member] Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] Commercial Paper [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Cleco Power [Member] Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] Municipal Bonds [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Cleco Power [Member] Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] Municipal Bonds [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Cleco Power [Member] Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] Corporate Bonds [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Cleco Power [Member] Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] Corporate Bonds [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Cleco Power [Member] Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] Federal Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Cleco Power [Member] Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] Federal Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Cleco Power [Member] Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Cleco Power [Member] Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Cleco Power [Member] Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] Commercial Paper [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Cleco Power [Member] Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] Commercial Paper [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Cleco Power [Member] Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] Municipal Bonds [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Cleco Power [Member] Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] Municipal Bonds [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Cleco Power [Member] Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] Corporate Bonds [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Cleco Power [Member] Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] Corporate Bonds [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Cleco Power [Member] Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] Federal Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Cleco Power [Member] Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] Federal Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Cleco Power [Member] Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Cleco Power [Member] Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Cleco Power [Member] Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] Commercial Paper [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Cleco Power [Member] Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] Commercial Paper [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Cleco Power [Member] Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] Municipal Bonds [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Cleco Power [Member] Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] Municipal Bonds [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Cleco Power [Member] Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] Corporate Bonds [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Cleco Power [Member] Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] Corporate Bonds [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Cleco Power [Member] Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] Federal Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] Cleco Power [Member] Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] Federal Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities [Member]
Asset Description
Institutional money market funds			$ 3,500,000	$ 15,300,000	$ 4,400,000					$ 3,500,000	$ 15,300,000	$ 1,000,000															$ 23,202,000	$ 36,100,000									$ 0	$ 0									$ 23,202,000	$ 36,100,000									$ 0	$ 0									$ 19,781,000	$ 28,775,000									$ 0	$ 0									$ 19,781,000	$ 28,775,000									$ 0	$ 0
Available-for-sale debt securities						1,500,000	9,800,000	500,000	1,000,000				1,483,000	1,500,000	9,831,000	9,800,000	515,000	500,000	1,000,000	1,000,000									0	1,483,000	0	9,831,000	0	515,000	0	1,000,000			0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			0	1,483,000	0	9,831,000	0	515,000	0	1,000,000			0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			0	1,483,000	0	9,831,000	0	515,000	0	1,000,000			0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			0	1,483,000	0	9,831,000	0	515,000	0	1,000,000			0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
FTR assets																											18,504,000	9,020,000									0	0									0	0									18,504,000	9,020,000									18,504,000	9,020,000									0	0									0	0									18,504,000	9,020,000
Total Assets																											41,706,000	57,949,000									0	0									23,202,000	48,929,000									18,504,000	9,020,000									38,285,000	50,624,000									0	0									19,781,000	41,604,000									18,504,000	9,020,000
Liability Description
Long-term debt																											1,534,758,000	1,420,048,000									0	0									1,534,758,000	1,420,048,000									0	0									1,497,758,000	1,415,048,000									0	0									1,497,758,000	1,415,048,000									0	0
FTR liabilities																											1,732,000	382,000									0	0									0	0									1,732,000	382,000									1,732,000	382,000									0	0									0	0									1,732,000	382,000
Total Liabilities																											1,536,490,000	1,420,430,000									0	0									1,534,758,000	1,420,048,000									1,732,000	382,000									1,499,490,000	1,415,430,000									0	0									1,497,758,000	1,415,048,000									1,732,000	382,000
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Roll Forward]
Beginning fair value of FTR assets (liabilities), net																					42,972,000	8,638,000
Unrealized losses																					(6,190,000)	(9,610,000)
Purchases and settlements																					(20,010,000)	17,744,000
Ending fair value of FTR assets (liabilities), net																					16,772,000	16,772,000
FTRs Forward Price Range																							(5.73)	(4.88)	5.62	33.75
Transfers between fair value levels	$ 0	$ 0