Schedule I Financial Statements of Cleco Corporation, Income Taxes (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Income Taxes [Abstract]
Federal and state income tax benefit	$ (77,704)	$ (67,116)	$ (79,575)
Cleco Corporation [Member]
Income Taxes [Abstract]
Federal and state income tax benefit	1,861	9,972	7,270
Income tax expense reflected in equity income of subsidiaries, net of tax	$ 79,600	$ 77,100	$ 86,800

Amount of current income tax expense (benefit) and deferred income tax expense (benefit) pertaining to continuing operations.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 9
-Subparagraph (a),(b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32639-109319

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(h))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Income Tax Expense (or Benefit)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6515339

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Balance Type:	debit
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