Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Summary of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities (Details) - Cleco Power [Member] - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Sep. 21, 2009
Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	$ 298,806	$ 324,079
Total regulatory assets, net	548,345	579,379
PPA true-up
Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items]
Regulatory liabilities	$ (312)	(624)
Remaining Recovery Period of Regulatory Assets	6 months
Total investment tax credit
Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items]
Regulatory liabilities	$ (1,633)	(2,263)
Total federal regulatory asset — income taxes
Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	5,614	124
Total state regulatory asset — income taxes
Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	105,868	106,964
AFUDC
Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	127,092	129,545
Total regulatory assets — deferred taxes, net
Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	236,941	234,370
Mining costs
Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	$ 8,921	11,470
Remaining Recovery Period of Regulatory Assets	3 years 6 months
Interest costs
Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	$ 5,221	5,582
AROs (1)
Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	2,462	1,029
Postretirement costs (1)
Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	150,274	160,903
Tree trimming costs
Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	$ 6,318	8,066
Remaining Recovery Period of Regulatory Assets	2 years 6 months
Training costs
Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	$ 6,863	7,019
Remaining Recovery Period of Regulatory Assets	44 years
Surcredits, net (2)
Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	$ 9,661	13,587
Remaining Recovery Period of Regulatory Assets for which No Return on Investment During Recovery Period is Provided	2 years 6 months
Amended lignite mining agreement contingency (1)
Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	$ 3,781	3,781
AMI deferred revenue requirement
Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	$ 5,318	5,863
Remaining Recovery Period of Regulatory Assets	10 years
Production operations and maintenance expenses
Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	$ 12,436	14,761		$ 25,600
AFUDC equity gross-up (2)
Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	71,444	72,859
Acquisition costs or Transaction costs
Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	$ 2,548	2,653
Remaining Recovery Period of Regulatory Assets	24 years
Acquisition costs or Transaction costs | Natural Gas Processing Plant [Member]
Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	$ 1,030	1,060
Remaining Recovery Period of Regulatory Assets	33 years 6 months
Financing costs
Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	$ 9,032	9,402
Biomass costs
Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	$ 50	82
Remaining Recovery Period of Regulatory Assets	1 year 6 months
MISO integration costs
Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	$ 2,340	3,275
Remaining Recovery Period of Regulatory Assets	2 years 6 months
Corporate franchise tax
Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	$ 373	1,223
Acadia FRP true-up
Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	$ 377	754	$ 800
Remaining Recovery Period of Regulatory Assets	6 months
Energy efficiency
Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	$ 0	114
Other
Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	$ 357	596
Remaining Recovery Period of Regulatory Assets	1 year 6 months
Fuel and purchased power
Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	$ 12,910	$ 21,554