Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Operating Activities [Abstract]
Net income	$ 133,669	$ 154,739	$ 160,685
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities [Abstract]
Depreciation and amortization	156,211	156,590	161,047
(Gain) loss on sale of assets	0	(6,224)	885
Unearned compensation expense	6,344	6,545	6,446
Allowance for equity funds used during construction	(3,063)	(5,380)	(4,081)
Net deferred income taxes	74,103	63,597	65,989
Deferred fuel costs	9,899	(11,558)	5,630
Cash surrender value of company-/trust-owned life insurance	950	(3,616)	(3,669)
Changes in assets and liabilities [Abstract]
Accounts receivable	(13,656)	11,556	(26,357)
Unbilled revenue	4,481	(7,310)	(2,504)
Fuel inventory and materials and supplies	(13,698)	(12,147)	(18,626)
Prepayments	2,750	27	(3,502)
Accounts payable	(25,294)	4,481	(1,656)
Customer deposits	12,162	14,960	12,213
Postretirement benefit obligations	14,173	8,864	(24,541)
Regulatory assets and liabilities, net	18,793	(777)	(30,524)
Other deferred accounts	(17,454)	(14,691)	(5,547)
Taxes accrued	(831)	(22,685)	53,197
Interest accrued	(1,024)	(3,519)	(768)
Other operating	2,507	1,717	(2,627)
Net cash provided by operating activities	361,022	335,169	341,690
Investing Activities [Abstract]
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	(156,819)	(207,636)	(188,614)
Allowance for equity funds used during construction	3,063	5,380	4,081
Property, plant, and equipment grants	0	0	729
Proceeds from sale of property, plant, and equipment	0	9,316	1,145
Reimbursement for property loss	0	191	1,306
Contributions to equity investment in investee	(2,290)	0	0
Premiums paid on trust-owned life insurance	(3,607)	(2,831)	(3,705)
Return of equity investment in tax credit fund	2,128	2,579	1,619
Contributions to tax credit fund	(9,966)	(55,315)	(51,011)
Transfer of cash (to) from restricted accounts	(1,341)	(10,097)	201
Purchase of restricted investments	0	0	(8,782)
Sale of restricted investments	0	11,138	0
Maturity of restricted investments	0	1,458	6,816
Other investing	881	(697)	(1)
Net cash used in investing activities	(167,951)	(246,514)	(236,216)
Financing Activities [Abstract]
Draws on credit facility	120,000	254,000	228,000
Payments on credit facility	(163,000)	(202,000)	(228,000)
Issuance of long-term debt	75,000	0	160,000
Repayment of long-term debt	(100,824)	(14,876)	(113,969)
Repurchase of long-term debt	0	0	(60,000)
Repurchase of common stock	0	(12,449)	0
Settlement of interest rate swap	0	0	(3,269)
Dividends paid on common stock	(97,283)	(95,044)	(86,376)
Other financing	(3,141)	(2,519)	(4,224)
Net cash used in financing activities	(169,248)	(72,888)	(107,838)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	23,823	15,767	(2,364)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	44,423	28,656	31,020
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	68,246	44,423	28,656
Supplementary cash flow information [Abstract]
Interest paid, net of amount capitalized	74,349	74,515	77,296
Income taxes paid (refunded), net	1,434	15,286	(47,374)
Supplementary non-cash investing and financing activities [Abstract]
Accrued additions to property, plant, and equipment	7,313	12,325	18,627
Issuance of common stock - ESPP	0	220	318
Decrease in property, plant, and equipment	234	47	1,280
Non-cash donation of property	373	0	0
Cleco Power [Member]
Operating Activities [Abstract]
Net income	141,350	154,316	150,410
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities [Abstract]
Depreciation and amortization	152,833	151,252	147,452
Allowance for equity funds used during construction	(3,063)	(5,380)	(4,081)
Net deferred income taxes	43,675	82,315	81,534
Deferred fuel costs	9,899	(11,558)	5,630
Changes in assets and liabilities [Abstract]
Accounts receivable	(13,681)	11,689	(26,491)
Accounts and notes receivable, affiliate	6,195	709	2,113
Unbilled revenue	4,481	(7,310)	(2,504)
Fuel inventory and materials and supplies	(13,698)	(12,114)	(18,539)
Accounts payable	(20,575)	5,459	(848)
Accounts and notes payable, affiliate	(3,990)	(2,749)	(3,403)
Customer deposits	12,162	14,960	12,213
Postretirement benefit obligations	7,405	4,963	(28,306)
Regulatory assets and liabilities, net	18,793	(777)	(30,524)
Other deferred accounts	(15,991)	(10,798)	(8,212)
Taxes accrued	36,287	(26,373)	5,372
Interest accrued	(1,412)	(4,364)	(304)
Other operating	5,868	2,832	(2,108)
Net cash provided by operating activities	366,538	347,072	279,404
Investing Activities [Abstract]
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	(156,357)	(206,607)	(181,154)
Allowance for equity funds used during construction	3,063	5,380	4,081
Property, plant, and equipment grants	0	0	729
Contributions to equity investment in investee	(2,290)	0	0
Transfer of cash (to) from restricted accounts	(1,341)	(10,097)	125
Purchase of restricted investments	0	0	(8,782)
Sale of restricted investments	0	11,138	0
Maturity of restricted investments	0	1,458	6,816
Other investing	881	2,153	2,367
Net cash used in investing activities	(156,044)	(196,575)	(175,818)
Financing Activities [Abstract]
Draws on credit facility	63,000	157,000	180,000
Payments on credit facility	(83,000)	(157,000)	(160,000)
Issuance of long-term debt	75,000	0	160,000
Repayment of long-term debt	(100,824)	(14,876)	(113,969)
Repurchase of long-term debt	0	0	(60,000)
Settlement of interest rate swap	0	0	(3,269)
Distribution to parent	(135,000)	(115,000)	(105,000)
Other financing	(3,127)	(2,514)	(3,661)
Net cash used in financing activities	(183,951)	(132,390)	(105,899)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	26,543	18,107	(2,313)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	39,162	21,055	23,368
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	65,705	39,162	21,055
Supplementary cash flow information [Abstract]
Interest paid, net of amount capitalized	74,219	74,326	77,079
Income taxes paid (refunded), net	(27)	257	(456)
Supplementary non-cash investing and financing activities [Abstract]
Accrued additions to property, plant, and equipment	7,249	12,225	18,414
Decrease in property, plant, and equipment	234	47	1,280
Non-cash donation of property	373	0	0
ARO [Member]
Supplementary non-cash investing and financing activities [Abstract]
Non-cash additions to property, plant, and equipment	184	4,400	0
ARO [Member] | Cleco Power [Member]
Supplementary non-cash investing and financing activities [Abstract]
Non-cash additions to property, plant, and equipment	184	4,400	0
Coughlin [Member] | Cleco Power [Member]
Supplementary non-cash investing and financing activities [Abstract]
Non-cash additions to property, plant, and equipment	$ 0	$ 176,244	$ 0