Pension Plan and Employee Benefits, Pension Plan and Other Benefits Plan (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014
Pension Benefits [Member]
Components of periodic benefit costs
Service cost	$ 2,683	$ 2,020	$ 5,209	$ 4,025
Interest cost	5,271	4,996	10,398	9,926
Expected return on plan assets	(5,856)	(6,170)	(11,690)	(12,253)
Transition obligation	0	0	0	0
Prior period service (credit) cost	(18)	(18)	(36)	(36)
Net loss	3,568	1,658	6,914	3,371
Net periodic benefit cost	5,648	2,486	10,795	5,033
Other Benefits [Member]
Components of periodic benefit costs
Service cost	392	405	784	810
Interest cost	372	462	744	925
Expected return on plan assets	0	0	0	0
Transition obligation	0	5	0	10
Prior period service (credit) cost	34	30	68	60
Net loss	238	178	476	355
Net periodic benefit cost	1,036	1,080	2,072	2,160
Postemployment Benefits Liability, Current	3,500		3,500		$ 3,500
Postemployment Benefits Liability, Noncurrent	40,600		40,600		41,200
Other Subsidiaries [Member] | Pension Benefits [Member]
Components of periodic benefit costs
Net periodic benefit cost	600	400	1,000	900
Cleco Power [Member] | Other Benefits [Member]
Components of periodic benefit costs
Net periodic benefit cost	900	$ 900	1,800	$ 1,900
Postemployment Benefits Liability, Current	3,000		3,000		3,200
Postemployment Benefits Liability, Noncurrent	$ 35,300		$ 35,300		$ 31,200