Fair Value Accounting, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Roll Forward]
Transfers between fair value levels	$ 0
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, Current [Member]
Asset Description
Institutional money market funds	9,000,000
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, Noncurrent [Member]
Asset Description
Institutional money market funds	15,000,000
Cash and Cash Equivalents [Member]
Asset Description
Institutional money market funds	39,700,000
Commercial Paper [Member] | Restricted Investment, Noncurrent [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale debt securities		1,500,000
Municipal Bonds [Member] | Restricted Investment, Noncurrent [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale debt securities		9,800,000
Corporate Bond Securities [Member] | Restricted Investment, Noncurrent [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale debt securities		500,000
Federal agency mortgage-backed securities [Member] | Restricted Investment, Noncurrent [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale debt securities		1,000,000
Cleco Power [Member] | Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, Current [Member]
Asset Description
Institutional money market funds	9,000,000
Cleco Power [Member] | Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, Noncurrent [Member]
Asset Description
Institutional money market funds	15,000,000
Cleco Power [Member] | Cash and Cash Equivalents [Member]
Asset Description
Institutional money market funds	34,700,000
Cleco Power [Member] | Commercial Paper [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale debt securities		1,483,000
Cleco Power [Member] | Municipal Bonds [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale debt securities		9,831,000
Cleco Power [Member] | Corporate Bond Securities [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale debt securities		515,000
Cleco Power [Member] | Federal agency mortgage-backed securities [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale debt securities		1,000,000
FTRs [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member]
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Roll Forward]
Beginning fair value of FTR assets (liabilities), net	8,638,000
Unrealized losses	(2,651,000)
Purchases and settlements	3,962,000
Ending fair value of FTR assets (liabilities), net	9,949,000
FTRs [Member] | Low [Member]
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Roll Forward]
FTRs Forward Price Range	(4.12)	(4.88)
FTRs [Member] | High [Member]
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Roll Forward]
FTRs Forward Price Range	7.76	33.75
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member]
Asset Description
Institutional money market funds	63,701,000	36,100,000
FTR assets	10,776,000	9,020,000
Total Assets	74,477,000	57,949,000
Liability Description
Long-term debt	1,601,816,000	1,420,048,000
FTR liabilities	827,000	382,000
Total Liabilities	1,602,643,000	1,420,430,000
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Commercial Paper [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale debt securities	0	1,483,000
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Municipal Bonds [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale debt securities	0	9,831,000
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Corporate Bond Securities [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale debt securities	0	515,000
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Federal agency mortgage-backed securities [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale debt securities	0	1,000,000
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member]
Asset Description
Institutional money market funds	0	0
FTR assets	0	0
Total Assets	0	0
Liability Description
Long-term debt	0	0
FTR liabilities	0	0
Total Liabilities	0	0
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] | Commercial Paper [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale debt securities	0	0
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] | Municipal Bonds [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale debt securities	0	0
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] | Corporate Bond Securities [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale debt securities	0	0
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] | Federal agency mortgage-backed securities [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale debt securities	0	0
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member]
Asset Description
Institutional money market funds	63,701,000	36,100,000
FTR assets	0	0
Total Assets	63,701,000	48,929,000
Liability Description
Long-term debt	1,601,816,000	1,420,048,000
FTR liabilities	0	0
Total Liabilities	1,601,816,000	1,420,048,000
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Commercial Paper [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale debt securities	0	1,483,000
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Municipal Bonds [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale debt securities	0	9,831,000
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Corporate Bond Securities [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale debt securities	0	515,000
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Federal agency mortgage-backed securities [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale debt securities	0	1,000,000
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member]
Asset Description
Institutional money market funds	0	0
FTR assets	10,776,000	9,020,000
Total Assets	10,776,000	9,020,000
Liability Description
Long-term debt	0	0
FTR liabilities	827,000	382,000
Total Liabilities	827,000	382,000
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Commercial Paper [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale debt securities	0	0
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Municipal Bonds [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale debt securities	0	0
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Corporate Bond Securities [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale debt securities	0	0
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Federal agency mortgage-backed securities [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale debt securities	0	0
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Cleco Power [Member]
Asset Description
Institutional money market funds	58,680,000	28,775,000
FTR assets	10,776,000	9,020,000
Total Assets	69,456,000	50,624,000
Liability Description
Long-term debt	1,544,816,000	1,415,048,000
FTR liabilities	827,000	382,000
Total Liabilities	1,545,643,000	1,415,430,000
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Cleco Power [Member] | Commercial Paper [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale debt securities	0	1,483,000
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Cleco Power [Member] | Municipal Bonds [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale debt securities	0	9,831,000
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Cleco Power [Member] | Corporate Bond Securities [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale debt securities	0	515,000
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Cleco Power [Member] | Federal agency mortgage-backed securities [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale debt securities	0	1,000,000
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Cleco Power [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member]
Asset Description
Institutional money market funds	0	0
FTR assets	0	0
Total Assets	0	0
Liability Description
Long-term debt	0	0
FTR liabilities	0	0
Total Liabilities	0	0
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Cleco Power [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] | Commercial Paper [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale debt securities	0	0
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Cleco Power [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] | Municipal Bonds [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale debt securities	0	0
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Cleco Power [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] | Corporate Bond Securities [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale debt securities	0	0
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]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale debt securities	0	0
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Cleco Power [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member]
Asset Description
Institutional money market funds	58,680,000	28,775,000
FTR assets	0	0
Total Assets	58,680,000	41,604,000
Liability Description
Long-term debt	1,544,816,000	1,415,048,000
FTR liabilities	0	0
Total Liabilities	1,544,816,000	1,415,048,000
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Cleco Power [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Commercial Paper [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale debt securities	0	1,483,000
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Cleco Power [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Municipal Bonds [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale debt securities	0	9,831,000
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Cleco Power [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Corporate Bond Securities [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale debt securities	0	515,000
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Cleco Power [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Federal agency mortgage-backed securities [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale debt securities	0	1,000,000
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Cleco Power [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member]
Asset Description
Institutional money market funds	0	0
FTR assets	10,776,000	9,020,000
Total Assets	10,776,000	9,020,000
Liability Description
Long-term debt	0	0
FTR liabilities	827,000	382,000
Total Liabilities	827,000	382,000
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Cleco Power [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Commercial Paper [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale debt securities	0	0
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Cleco Power [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Municipal Bonds [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale debt securities	0	0
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Cleco Power [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Corporate Bond Securities [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale debt securities	0	0
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Cleco Power [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Federal agency mortgage-backed securities [Member]
Asset Description
Available-for-sale debt securities	$ 0	$ 0