Income Taxes, Current and Deferred Income Tax Expense (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended			24 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2014
Current and deferred income tax expense [Abstract]
Current federal income tax (benefit) expense	$ 11,082,000	$ 15,672,000	$ 47,768,000
Deferred federal income tax expense	71,061,000	65,237,000	21,724,000
Amortization of accumulated deferred investment tax credits	(983,000)	(1,108,000)	(1,180,000)
Total federal income tax expense	81,160,000	79,801,000	68,312,000
Current state income tax (benefit) expense	(6,580,000)	(978,000)	(1,192,000)
Deferred state income tax expense (benefit)	(7,464,000)	752,000	(1,793,000)
Total state income tax benefit	(14,044,000)	(226,000)	(2,985,000)
Total taxes	67,116,000	79,575,000	65,327,000
Items charged or credited directly to shareholders' equity
Income Tax Effects Allocated Directly to Equity	(4,246,000)	4,062,000	(2,771,000)
Total federal and state income tax expense	62,870,000	83,637,000	62,556,000
Decrease in total tax expense to AOCI				(8,300,000)
Amortization and Interest Recognized	3,400,000	13,300,000	38,600,000
Cleco Power [Member]
Current and deferred income tax expense [Abstract]
Current federal income tax (benefit) expense	(197,000)	(33,000)	13,008,000
Deferred federal income tax expense	83,676,000	81,188,000	59,008,000
Amortization of accumulated deferred investment tax credits	(983,000)	(1,108,000)	(1,180,000)
Total federal income tax expense	82,496,000	80,047,000	70,836,000
Current state income tax (benefit) expense	(4,161,000)	(1,012,000)	(1,060,000)
Deferred state income tax expense (benefit)	(1,361,000)	346,000	(1,643,000)
Total state income tax benefit	(5,522,000)	(666,000)	(2,703,000)
Total taxes	76,974,000	79,381,000	68,133,000
Items charged or credited directly to shareholders' equity
Income Tax Effects Allocated Directly to Equity	(1,321,000)	3,280,000	23,000
Total federal and state income tax expense	75,653,000	82,661,000	68,156,000
Decrease in total tax expense to AOCI				(4,600,000)
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) [Member]
Items charged or credited directly to shareholders' equity
Income Tax Effects Allocated Directly to Equity	(3,656,000)	3,497,000	(2,386,000)
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) [Member] | Cleco Power [Member]
Items charged or credited directly to shareholders' equity
Income Tax Effects Allocated Directly to Equity	(1,137,000)	2,824,000	20,000
State and Local Jurisdiction [Member]
Items charged or credited directly to shareholders' equity
Income Tax Effects Allocated Directly to Equity	(590,000)	565,000	(385,000)
State and Local Jurisdiction [Member] | Cleco Power [Member]
Items charged or credited directly to shareholders' equity
Income Tax Effects Allocated Directly to Equity	$ (184,000)	$ 456,000	$ 3,000