Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Summary of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities (Details) - Cleco Power [Member] - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	$ 301,528	$ 324,079
Total regulatory assets, net	556,063	579,379
PPA true-up
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory liabilities	(468)	(624)
Regulatory assets – deferred taxes, net
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	236,341	234,370
Mining costs
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	9,559	11,470
Interest costs
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	5,311	5,582
AROs
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	1,381	1,029
Postretirement costs
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	150,586	160,903
Tree trimming costs
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	6,996	8,066
Training costs
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	6,902	7,019
Surcredits, net
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	10,546	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	5,454	5,863
Production operations and maintenance expenses
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	12,003	14,761
AFUDC equity gross-up
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	71,798	72,859
Acquisition/ transaction costs [Member]
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	2,574	2,653
Acquisition/ transaction costs [Member] | Coughlin transaction costs
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	1,037	1,060
Financing costs
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	9,125	9,402
Biomass costs
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	58	82
MISO integration costs
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	2,573	3,275
Corporate franchise tax
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	849	1,223
Acadia FRP true-up
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	566	754
Energy efficiency
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	11	114
Other
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	418	596
Fuel and purchased power
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	$ 18,662	$ 21,554