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Debt, Total Indebtedness (Details) - USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015	Nov. 13, 2015	May. 01, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured Debt	$ 1,265,529,000			$ 1,256,354,000
Long-term Line of Credit	34,000,000			57,000,000
Bank Term Loan	0			35,000,000
Barge Lease Obligations	4,425,000			6,873,000
Gross amount of long-term debt	1,303,954,000			1,375,227,000
Less: Long-term Debt due within one year	16,814,000			15,824,000
Less: lease obligations classified as long-term debt due within one year	2,607,000			2,448,000
Unamortized Debt Discount	(6,885,000)			(7,302,000)
Unamortized Debt Issuance Costs	(9,945,000)			(10,655,000)
Long-term debt, net	1,267,703,000			1,338,998,000
Cleco Corporation [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Line of Credit	34,000,000
Cleco Power [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured Debt	1,265,529,000			1,256,354,000
Long-term Line of Credit	0
Bank Term Loan	0			35,000,000
Barge Lease Obligations	4,425,000			6,873,000
Gross amount of long-term debt	1,269,954,000			1,318,227,000
Less: Long-term Debt due within one year	16,814,000			15,824,000
Less: lease obligations classified as long-term debt due within one year	2,607,000			2,448,000
Unamortized Debt Discount	(6,885,000)			(7,302,000)
Unamortized Debt Issuance Costs	(9,609,000)			(10,044,000)
Long-term debt, net	1,234,039,000			1,282,609,000
Cleco Power's senior notes, 4.95%, due 2015 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured Debt	0			50,000,000
Cleco Power's senior notes, 4.95%, due 2015 [Member] \| Cleco Power [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured Debt	0			50,000,000
Cleco Power's senior notes, 6.65%, due 2018 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured Debt	250,000,000			250,000,000
Cleco Power's senior notes, 6.65%, due 2018 [Member] \| Cleco Power [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured Debt	250,000,000			250,000,000
Cleco Power's senior notes, 3.68%, due 2025 [Member] [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured Debt	75,000,000			0
Cleco Power's senior notes, 3.68%, due 2025 [Member] [Member] \| Cleco Power [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured Debt	75,000,000	$ 75,000,000		0
Cleco Powers Senior Notes 4.33% due 2027 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured Debt	50,000,000			50,000,000
Cleco Powers Senior Notes 4.33% due 2027 [Member] \| Cleco Power [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured Debt	50,000,000			50,000,000
Cleco Power's senior notes, 6.50%, due 2035 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured Debt	295,000,000			295,000,000
Cleco Power's senior notes, 6.50%, due 2035 [Member] \| Cleco Power [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured Debt	295,000,000			295,000,000
Cleco Power's senior notes, 6.00%, due 2040 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured Debt	250,000,000			250,000,000
Cleco Power's senior notes, 6.00%, due 2040 [Member] \| Cleco Power [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured Debt	250,000,000			250,000,000
Cleco Power's senior notes 5.12% due 2041 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured Debt	100,000,000			100,000,000
Cleco Power's senior notes 5.12% due 2041 [Member] \| Cleco Power [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured Debt	100,000,000			100,000,000
Series A GO Zone bonds, 2.00%, due 2038, mandatory tender in 2020 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured Debt	50,000,000			50,000,000
Series A GO Zone bonds, 2.00%, due 2038, mandatory tender in 2020 [Member] \| Cleco Power [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured Debt	50,000,000		$ 50,000,000	50,000,000
Series B GO Zone bonds, 4.25%, due 2036 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured Debt	50,000,000			50,000,000
Series B GO Zone bonds, 4.25%, due 2036 [Member] \| Cleco Power [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured Debt	50,000,000			50,000,000
Cleco Power's solid waste disposal facility bonds, 4.70%, due 2036, callable after November 1, 2016 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured Debt	60,000,000			60,000,000
Cleco Power's solid waste disposal facility bonds, 4.70%, due 2036, callable after November 1, 2016 [Member] \| Cleco Power [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured Debt	60,000,000			60,000,000
Cleco Katrina/Rita's storm recovery bonds, 4.41%, due 2020 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured Debt	17,929,000			33,754,000
Cleco Katrina/Rita's storm recovery bonds, 4.41%, due 2020 [Member] \| Cleco Power [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured Debt	17,929,000			33,754,000
Cleco Katrina/Rita's storm recovery bonds, 5.61%, due 2023 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured Debt	67,600,000			67,600,000
Cleco Katrina/Rita's storm recovery bonds, 5.61%, due 2023 [Member] \| Cleco Power [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured Debt	67,600,000			67,600,000
Cleco Katrina Rita Storm Recovery Bonds [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Less: Long-term Debt due within one year	16,800,000
Cleco Katrina Rita Storm Recovery Bonds [Member] \| Cleco Power [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Less: Long-term Debt due within one year	16,800,000
Cleco Power's credit facility draws [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Line of Credit	0			20,000,000
Cleco Power's credit facility draws [Member] \| Cleco Power [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Line of Credit	$ 0			$ 20,000,000