Litigation, Other Commitments and Contingencies, and Disclosures about Guarantees, Off-Balance Sheet Commitments (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Jan. 31, 2006	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 15, 2014
Attala [Member] | Cleco Corporation [Member] | Guarantee Issued to Entergy Mississippi on behalf of Attala [Member]
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted	$ 0.5
Louisiana Department of Labor [Member] | Cleco Power [Member] | Obligations Under Standby Letter of Credit [Member]
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted		3.7
Percentage of average losses on which letter of credit is based (in hundredths)		110.00%
MISO [Member] | Cleco Power [Member] | Obligations Under Standby Letter of Credit [Member]
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted		2.0
2004 sale of Perryville facility [Member] | Performance Guarantee [Member]
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted		42.4
Evangeline [Member] | Transfer of assets from affiliate [Member] | Indemnification Agreement [Member]
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted			40.0
Evangeline [Member] | Transfer of assets from affiliate [Member] | Indemnification Agreement INCLUDING fundamental organizational structure [Member]
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted			400.0
Evangeline [Member] | Transfer of assets from affiliate [Member] | Cleco Power [Member] | Indemnification Agreement [Member]
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted			40.0
Evangeline [Member] | Transfer of assets from affiliate [Member] | Cleco Power [Member] | Indemnification Agreement INCLUDING fundamental organizational structure [Member]
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted			$ 400.0