Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Operating activities [Abstract]
Net income	$ 111,819	$ 133,392
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities: [Abstract]
Depreciation and amortization	117,831	124,515
Unearned compensation expense	4,819	4,974
Allowance for equity funds used during construction	(2,197)	(4,291)
Net deferred income taxes	62,871	51,584
Deferred fuel costs	1,010	(23,908)
Cash surrender value of company-/trust-owned life insurance	2,258	(2,854)
Changes in assets and liabilities: [Abstract]
Accounts receivable	(24,890)	(19,666)
Unbilled revenue	(2,019)	(18,245)
Fuel, materials and supplies inventory	(3,422)	505
Prepayments	3,659	2,544
Accounts payable	(32,248)	(14,767)
Customer deposits	9,357	11,979
Postretirement benefit obligations	10,430	6,501
Regulatory assets and liabilities, net	13,858	(2,881)
Other deferred accounts	(8,029)	(17,006)
Taxes accrued	24,878	969
Interest accrued	13,115	9,381
Other operating	904	2,830
Net cash provided by operating activities	304,004	245,556
Investing activities [Abstract]
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	(116,678)	(160,181)
Allowance for equity funds used during construction	2,197	4,291
Return of investment in company-owned life insurance	0	1,303
Premiums paid on company-/trust-owned life insurance	(2,571)	(2,831)
Contributions to equity investment in investee	(1,840)	0
Return of equity investment in tax credit fund	1,649	1,541
Contributions to tax credit fund	(4,091)	(36,252)
Transfers of cash from (to) restricted accounts, net	4,536	(4,989)
Sale of restricted investments	0	11,138
Maturity of restricted investments	0	1,458
Other investing	602	(413)
Net cash used in investing activities	(116,196)	(184,935)
Financing activities [Abstract]
Draws on credit facilities	108,000	189,000
Payments on credit facilities	(147,000)	(167,000)
Repayment of long-term debt	(100,824)	(14,876)
Repurchase of common stock	0	(12,449)
Dividends paid on common stock	(73,076)	(70,879)
Other financing	(2,002)	(1,863)
Net cash used in financing activities	(214,902)	(78,067)
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(27,094)	(17,446)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	44,423	28,656
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	17,329	11,210
Supplementary cash flow information [Abstract]
Interest paid, net of amount capitalized	42,201	42,536
Income taxes paid, net	1,434	15,321
Supplementary non-cash investing and financing activities [Abstract]
Accrued additions to property, plant, and equipment	4,869	10,777
Issuance of common stock – ESPP	0	220
Cleco Power [Member]
Operating activities [Abstract]
Net income	119,080	124,509
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities: [Abstract]
Depreciation and amortization	115,160	120,950
Unearned compensation expense	1,465	1,461
Allowance for equity funds used during construction	(2,197)	(4,291)
Net deferred income taxes	34,073	66,426
Deferred fuel costs	1,010	(23,908)
Changes in assets and liabilities: [Abstract]
Accounts receivable	(24,847)	(19,492)
Accounts and notes receivable, affiliate	6,558	402
Unbilled revenue	(2,019)	(18,245)
Fuel, materials and supplies inventory	(3,422)	538
Prepayments	1,741	1,736
Accounts payable	(29,097)	(10,656)
Accounts and notes payable, affiliate	(2,377)	(1,887)
Customer deposits	9,357	11,979
Postretirement benefit obligations	5,366	3,594
Regulatory assets and liabilities, net	13,858	(2,881)
Other deferred accounts	(6,560)	(12,341)
Taxes accrued	58,915	(5,139)
Interest accrued	12,681	8,584
Other operating	1,602	2,272
Net cash provided by operating activities	310,347	243,611
Investing activities [Abstract]
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	(116,360)	(159,320)
Allowance for equity funds used during construction	2,197	4,291
Return of investment in company-owned life insurance	0	1,303
Contributions to equity investment in investee	(1,840)	0
Transfers of cash from (to) restricted accounts, net	4,536	(4,989)
Sale of restricted investments	0	11,138
Maturity of restricted investments	0	1,458
Other investing	602	587
Net cash used in investing activities	(110,865)	(145,532)
Financing activities [Abstract]
Draws on credit facilities	63,000	122,000
Payments on credit facilities	(83,000)	(132,000)
Repayment of long-term debt	(100,824)	(14,876)
Distributions to parent	(100,000)	(85,000)
Other financing	(1,999)	(1,858)
Net cash used in financing activities	(222,823)	(111,734)
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(23,341)	(13,655)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	39,162	21,055
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	15,821	7,400
Supplementary cash flow information [Abstract]
Interest paid, net of amount capitalized	42,165	42,467
Income taxes paid, net	565	257
Supplementary non-cash investing and financing activities [Abstract]
Accrued additions to property, plant, and equipment	4,860	10,720
Coughlin [Member] | Cleco Power [Member]
Supplementary non-cash investing and financing activities [Abstract]
Non-cash additions to property, plant, and equipment – Coughlin	$ 0	$ 176,244