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Coughlin Transfer Coughlin Transfer (Details) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012
MW
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Mar. 15, 2014
Related Party [Line Items]        
Net book value   $ 3,066,000us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesPropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet $ 2,975,299us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesPropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet  
Cleco Power [Member]        
Related Party [Line Items]        
Long-term Request for Proposal of Electric Power to meet long-term capacity (MW) 800cnl_LongtermRequestforProposalShareofMWBeingPurchased
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember		      
Net book value   3,062,284us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesPropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember		 2,791,931us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesPropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember		  
Transfer of Coughlin from affiliate [Member] | Evangeline [Member] | Cleco Power [Member]        
Related Party [Line Items]        
Net book value       $ 176,000us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesPropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionAxis
= cnl_TransferofassetsfromaffiliateMember
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= us-gaap_SubsidiaryOfCommonParentMember