Disclosures about Segments (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($) entity	Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($) entity	Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of transmission interconnection facility subsidiaries | entity	2		2
Revenue [Abstract]
Electric operations	$ 325,994	$ 352,763	$ 880,169	$ 939,519
Tolling operations				0
Other operations	19,937	19,497	53,472	48,878
Electric customer credits	(463)	(874)	(3,642)	(23,555)
Affiliate revenue	0	0	0	0
Operating revenue, net	345,468	371,386	929,999	964,842
Depreciation	39,120	37,834	112,866	117,145
Merger transaction costs	831	1,141	2,561	1,506
Interest charges	18,593	13,175	58,624	53,508
Interest income	346	416	734	1,369
Federal and state income tax expense (benefit)	27,761	24,442	65,448	52,649
Net income (loss)	54,663	70,835	111,819	133,392
Additions to property, plant, and equipment			116,678	160,181
Additions to (reductions in) property, plant, and equipment				152,250
Equity investment in investees	16,380		16,380		$ 14,540
Total segment assets	4,305,349		4,305,349		4,379,073
Operating Segments [Member] | Cleco Power [Member]
Revenue [Abstract]
Electric operations	325,994	352,763	880,169	939,519
Tolling operations				0
Other operations	19,418	18,957	51,913	47,256
Electric customer credits	(463)	(874)	(3,642)	(23,555)
Affiliate revenue	240	332	904	998
Operating revenue, net	345,189	371,178	929,344	964,218
Depreciation	38,376	37,518	111,485	115,016
Merger transaction costs	0	0	0	0
Interest charges	18,309	14,486	57,612	54,885
Interest income	303	398	607	1,349
Federal and state income tax expense (benefit)	27,638	29,094	65,906	59,375
Net income (loss)	58,661	65,544	119,080	124,509
Additions to property, plant, and equipment			116,360
Additions to (reductions in) property, plant, and equipment				327,916
Equity investment in investees	16,372		16,372		14,532
Total segment assets	4,195,925		4,195,925		4,242,986
Operating Segments [Member] | Other [Member]
Revenue [Abstract]
Electric operations	0	0	0	0
Tolling operations				5,467
Other operations	519	540	1,559	1,622
Electric customer credits	0	0	0	0
Affiliate revenue	15,036	14,745	42,790	42,091
Operating revenue, net	15,555	15,285	44,349	49,180
Depreciation	744	317	1,381	2,129
Merger transaction costs	831	1,141	2,561	1,506
Interest charges	195	(1,421)	720	(1,727)
Interest income	(47)	(91)	(166)	(331)
Federal and state income tax expense (benefit)	123	(4,651)	(458)	(6,726)
Net income (loss)	(3,998)	5,290	(7,261)	8,883
Additions to property, plant, and equipment			318
Additions to (reductions in) property, plant, and equipment				(175,666)
Equity investment in investees	8		8		8
Total segment assets	51,553		51,553		248,654
Intersegment Elimination [Member]
Revenue [Abstract]
Electric operations	0	0	0	0
Tolling operations				(5,467)
Other operations	0	0	0	0
Electric customer credits	0	0	0	0
Affiliate revenue	(15,276)	(15,077)	(43,694)	(43,089)
Operating revenue, net	(15,276)	(15,077)	(43,694)	(48,556)
Depreciation	0	(1)	0	0
Merger transaction costs	0	0	0	0
Interest charges	89	110	292	350
Interest income	90	109	293	351
Federal and state income tax expense (benefit)	0	(1)	0	0
Net income (loss)	0	$ 1	0	0
Additions to property, plant, and equipment			0
Additions to (reductions in) property, plant, and equipment				$ 0
Equity investment in investees	0		0		0
Total segment assets	$ 57,871		$ 57,871		$ (112,567)