Debt Debt, Credit Facilities (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	0 Months Ended
	Nov. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2014	Jan. 09, 2015	Dec. 31, 2013
Line of Credit [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity		$ 550.0
Cleco Corporation [Member] | Line of Credit [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity				250.0
Write off of Deferred Debt Issuance Cost	1.0
Facility fees (in hundredths)		0.175%
Line of Credit Facility, Amount Outstanding		57.0
Available borrowing capacity		193.0
Unrestricted Member's Equity		921.9
Cleco Corporation [Member] | Line of Credit [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Ratio of Indebtedness to Net Capital		0.65
Cleco Corporation [Member] | Line of Credit [Member] | ABR [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
All-in interest rate (in hundredths)		0.075%
Cleco Corporation [Member] | Line of Credit [Member] | LIBOR [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
All-in interest rate (in hundredths)		1.075%
All-in interest rate (in hundredths)		1.245%
Cleco Power [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Unrestricted Member's Equity		852.1
Cleco Power [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Ratio of Indebtedness to Net Capital		0.65
Cleco Power [Member] | Line of Credit [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity				300.0
Facility fees (in hundredths)		0.10%
Line of Credit Facility, Amount Outstanding		20.0
Available borrowing capacity		278.0
Unrestricted Member's Equity		852.1
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount		2.0		1.0
Cleco Power [Member] | Line of Credit [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Ratio of Indebtedness to Net Capital		0.65
Cleco Power [Member] | Line of Credit [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Repayments of Lines of Credit			$ 20.0
Cleco Power [Member] | Line of Credit [Member] | LIBOR [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
All-in interest rate (in hundredths)		0.90%
All-in interest rate (in hundredths)		1.07%