Pension Plan and Employee Benefits, Pension Plan and Other Benefits Plan (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014
Pension Benefits [Member]
Components of periodic benefit costs
Service cost	$ 2,526,000	$ 2,005,000
Interest cost	5,127,000	4,930,000
Expected return on plan assets	(5,834,000)	(6,083,000)
Transition obligation	0	0
Prior period service cost (credit)	(18,000)	(18,000)
Net loss	3,346,000	1,713,000
Net periodic benefit cost	5,147,000	2,547,000
Other Benefits [Member]
Components of periodic benefit costs
Service cost	395,000	405,000
Interest cost	401,000	463,000
Expected return on plan assets	0	0
Transition obligation	0	5,000
Prior period service cost (credit)	30,000	30,000
Net loss	210,000	177,000
Net periodic benefit cost	1,036,000	1,080,000
Postemployment Benefits Liability, Current	3,500,000		3,500,000
Postemployment Benefits Liability, Noncurrent	40,800,000		41,200,000
Other Subsidiaries [Member] | Pension Benefits [Member]
Components of periodic benefit costs
Net periodic benefit cost	400,000	500,000
Cleco Power [Member] | Other Benefits [Member]
Components of periodic benefit costs
Net periodic benefit cost	900,000	900,000
Postemployment Benefits Liability, Current	3,000,000		3,200,000
Postemployment Benefits Liability, Noncurrent	$ 35,500,000		$ 31,200,000