Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Summary of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities (Details) - Cleco Power [Member] - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	$ 310,282	$ 324,079
Total regulatory assets, net	555,487	579,379
PPA true-up
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory liabilities	(624)	(624)
Regulatory assets – deferred taxes, net
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	236,742	234,370
Mining costs
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	10,196	11,470
Interest costs
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	5,402	5,582
AROs
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	1,263	1,029
Postretirement costs
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	154,025	160,903
Tree trimming costs
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	7,675	8,066
Training costs
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	6,941	7,019
Surcredits, net
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	11,692	13,587
Amended lignite mining agreement contingency
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	3,781	3,781
AMI deferred revenue requirement
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	5,590	5,863
Production operations and maintenance expenses
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	13,351	14,761
AFUDC equity gross-up
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	72,223	72,859
Acquisition/ transaction costs [Member]
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	2,600	2,653
Acquisition/ transaction costs [Member] | Coughlin transaction costs
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	1,045	1,060
Financing costs
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	9,217	9,402
Biomass costs
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	66	82
MISO integration costs
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	2,807	3,275
Corporate franchise tax
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	1,132	1,223
Acadia FRP true-up
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	754	754
Energy efficiency
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	46	114
Other
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	476	596
Fuel and purchased power
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	$ 9,087	$ 21,554