Variable Interest Entities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Cash contributions to Oxbow				$ 840	$ 0
Components of equity method investments [Abstract]
Total equity investment in investee		$ 15,380		15,380		$ 14,540
Cleco Power [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Cash contributions to Oxbow				840	0
Components of equity method investments [Abstract]
Total equity investment in investee		15,372		15,372		14,532
Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Equity Method Investment, Summarized Financial Information [Abstract]
Current assets		2,568		2,568		2,792
Total assets		30,799		30,799		29,096
Current liabilities		54		54		31
Partners' capital		30,745		30,745		29,065
Total liabilities and partners' capital		30,799		30,799		29,096
Operating revenue		861	$ 426	1,714	1,011
Operating expenses		861	426	1,714	1,011
Income before taxes		0	$ 0	0	$ 0
Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member] | Property, plant, and equipment, net [Member]
Equity Method Investment, Summarized Financial Information [Abstract]
Other assets		22,375		22,375		22,457
Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member] | Other Assets [Member]
Equity Method Investment, Summarized Financial Information [Abstract]
Other assets		5,856		$ 5,856		3,847
Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member] | Cleco Power [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Variable interest entity, ownership percentage (in hundredths)				50.00%
Ownership percentage by other parties (in hundredths)				50.00%
Cash contributions to Oxbow	$ 800
Components of equity method investments [Abstract]
Purchase price		12,873		$ 12,873		12,873
Cash contributions		2,499		2,499		1,659
Total equity investment in investee		15,372		15,372		14,532
Comparison of carrying amount of assets and liabilities to maximum loss exposure [Abstract]
Cleco Power’s 50% equity		15,372		15,372		14,532
Cleco Power’s maximum exposure to loss		15,372		15,372		14,532
Equity Method Investment, Summarized Financial Information [Abstract]
Partners' capital		30,745		30,745		$ 29,065
Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member] | Diversified Lands [Member]
Components of equity method investments [Abstract]
Total equity investment in investee		$ 100		$ 100