Pension Plan and Employee Benefits, Benefit Obligation, Plan Assets, and Funded Status (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Pension Benefits [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Prior service cost (credit)	$ (71,000)
Change in benefit obligation [Roll Forward]
Benefit obligation at beginning of year	392,488,000	431,569,000
Service cost	8,050,000	9,889,000	8,312,000
Interest cost	19,851,000	17,940,000	18,254,000
Plan participants' contributions	0	0
Actuarial loss (gain)	95,576,000	(50,133,000)
Expenses paid	(1,671,000)	(1,916,000)
Medicare D	0	0
Other adjustments	0	0
Benefits paid	(15,922,000)	(14,861,000)
Benefit obligation at end of year	498,372,000	392,488,000	431,569,000
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year	384,555,000	344,041,000
Actual return on plan assets	45,841,000	23,291,000
Employer contributions	0	34,000,000
Expenses paid	(1,671,000)	(1,916,000)
Benefits paid	(15,922,000)	(14,861,000)
Fair value of plan assets at end of year	412,803,000	384,555,000	344,041,000
Unfunded status	(85,569,000)	(7,933,000)
Other Benefits [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Prior service cost (credit)	119,000
Change in benefit obligation [Roll Forward]
Benefit obligation at beginning of year	43,840,000	45,569,000
Service cost	1,542,000	1,656,000	1,461,000
Interest cost	1,809,000	1,568,000	2,239,000
Plan participants' contributions	872,000	1,241,000
Actuarial loss (gain)	1,228,000	(1,768,000)
Expenses paid	0	0
Medicare D	132,000	194,000
Other adjustments	(551,000)	601,000
Benefits paid	(4,220,000)	(5,221,000)
Benefit obligation at end of year	44,652,000	43,840,000	45,569,000
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Expenses paid	0	0
Benefits paid	(4,220,000)	(5,221,000)
Unfunded status	(44,652,000)	(43,840,000)
Postemployment Benefits Liability, Current	3,500,000	3,500,000
Postemployment Benefits Liability, Noncurrent	41,200,000	40,400,000
SERP Benefits [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Prior service cost (credit)	54,000
Change in benefit obligation [Roll Forward]
Benefit obligation at beginning of year	57,865,000	59,422,000
Service cost	2,278,000	2,055,000	1,487,000
Interest cost	3,028,000	2,578,000	2,526,000
Actuarial loss (gain)	13,436,000	(3,477,000)
Benefits paid	(2,705,000)	(2,713,000)
Benefit obligation at end of year	73,902,000	57,865,000	59,422,000
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Benefits paid	(2,705,000)	(2,713,000)
Defined Benefit Pension Plan Liabilities, Current	3,000,000	2,700,000
Defined Benefit Pension Plan, Liabilities, Noncurrent	70,900,000	55,200,000
Cleco Power [Member] | Pension Benefits [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Pension contributions designated for prior plan year		34,000,000
Cleco Power [Member] | Other Benefits [Member]
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Postemployment Benefits Liability, Current	3,200,000	3,200,000
Postemployment Benefits Liability, Noncurrent	31,200,000	30,700,000
Cleco Power [Member] | SERP Benefits [Member]
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Defined Benefit Pension Plan Liabilities, Current	800,000	700,000
Defined Benefit Pension Plan, Liabilities, Noncurrent	$ 19,000,000	$ 14,300,000