Disclosures about Segments (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014 entity	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014 entity	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of transmission interconnection facility subsidiaries	2		2
Revenue
Electric operations	$ 352,763	$ 314,766	$ 939,519	$ 796,957
Tolling operations		0	0	0
Other operations	19,497	14,843	48,878	37,917
Electric customer credits	(874)	(846)	(23,555)	(1,270)
Affiliate revenue	0	0	0	0
Operating revenue, net	371,386	328,763	964,842	833,604
Depreciation	37,834	41,756	117,145	110,529
Interest charges	13,175	19,014	53,508	61,358
Interest income	416	332	1,369	789
Federal and state income tax expense (benefit)	24,442	34,389	52,649	66,892
Net Income (loss)	70,835	66,407	133,392	135,572
Additions to (reductions in) long-lived assets	36,057	39,280	152,250	129,024
Equity investment in investees	14,540		14,540		14,540
Total segment assets	4,256,314		4,256,314		4,215,262
Operating Segments [Member] | Cleco Power [Member]
Revenue
Electric operations	352,763	314,766	939,519	796,957
Tolling operations		0	0	0
Other operations	18,957	14,301	47,256	36,366
Electric customer credits	(874)	(846)	(23,555)	(1,270)
Affiliate revenue	332	335	998	1,005
Operating revenue, net	371,178	328,556	964,218	833,058
Depreciation	37,518	39,962	115,016	105,251
Interest charges	14,486	18,656	54,885	60,882
Interest income	398	331	1,349	784
Federal and state income tax expense (benefit)	29,094	33,355	59,375	65,558
Net Income (loss)	65,544	61,885	124,509	124,142
Additions to (reductions in) long-lived assets	35,955	38,585	327,916	124,731
Equity investment in investees	14,532		14,532		14,532
Total segment assets	4,161,396		4,161,396		3,943,712
Operating Segments [Member] | Midstream [Member]
Revenue
Electric operations		0		0
Tolling operations		12,339		26,483
Other operations		1		2
Electric customer credits		0		0
Affiliate revenue		0		0
Operating revenue, net		12,340		26,485
Depreciation		1,522		4,523
Interest charges		312		(338)
Interest income		0		0
Federal and state income tax expense (benefit)		4,083		7,221
Net Income (loss)		1,164		6,180
Additions to (reductions in) long-lived assets		337		2,664
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	540	541	1,622	1,550
Electric customer credits	0	0	0	0
Affiliate revenue	14,745	13,313	42,091	40,406
Operating revenue, net	15,285	13,854	49,180	41,956
Depreciation	317	272	2,129	755
Interest charges	(1,421)	(110)	(1,727)	334
Interest income	(91)	(156)	(331)	(474)
Federal and state income tax expense (benefit)	(4,651)	(3,048)	(6,726)	(5,887)
Net Income (loss)	5,290	3,358	8,883	5,251
Additions to (reductions in) long-lived assets	102	358	(175,666)	1,629
Equity investment in investees	8		8		8
Total segment assets	54,394		54,394		88,234
Intersegment Elimination [Member]
Revenue
Electric operations	0	0	0	0
Tolling operations		(12,339)	(5,467)	(26,483)
Other operations	0	0	0	(1)
Electric customer credits	0	0	0	0
Affiliate revenue	(15,077)	(13,648)	(43,089)	(41,411)
Operating revenue, net	(15,077)	(25,987)	(48,556)	(67,895)
Depreciation	(1)	0	0	0
Interest charges	110	156	350	480
Interest income	109	157	351	479
Federal and state income tax expense (benefit)	(1)	(1)	0	0
Net Income (loss)	1	0	0	(1)
Additions to (reductions in) long-lived assets	0	0	0	0
Equity investment in investees	0		0		0
Total segment assets	$ 40,524		$ 40,524		$ (42,516)