Debt, Credit Facilities (Details) - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity	$ 550,000,000
Long-term Line of Credit	34,000,000	$ 57,000,000
Cleco Corporation [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity	250,000,000
Long-term Line of Credit	$ 34,000,000
All-in interest rate (in hundredths)	1.465%
Available borrowing capacity	$ 216,000,000
Facility fees (in hundredths)	0.175%
Cleco Corporation [Member] | Line of Credit [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity	$ 250,000,000
Unrestricted member's equity	$ 1,010,000,000
Cleco Corporation [Member] | Line of Credit [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Ratio of indebtedness to net capital (in hundredths)	0.65
Cleco Corporation [Member] | Line of Credit [Member] | ABR [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Credit facility, Basis Spread on Variable Rate (in hundredths)	0.075%
Cleco Corporation [Member] | Line of Credit [Member] | LIBOR [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Credit facility, Basis Spread on Variable Rate (in hundredths)	1.075%
Cleco Power [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity	$ 300,000,000
Long-term Line of Credit	0
Available borrowing capacity	$ 298,000,000
Facility fees (in hundredths)	0.10%
Unrestricted member's equity	$ 884,300,000
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount	$ 2,000,000
Cleco Power [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Ratio of indebtedness to net capital (in hundredths)	0.65
Cleco Power [Member] | Line of Credit [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Unrestricted member's equity	$ 884,300,000
Cleco Power [Member] | Line of Credit [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Ratio of indebtedness to net capital (in hundredths)	0.65
Cleco Power [Member] | Line of Credit [Member] | LIBOR [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Credit facility, Basis Spread on Variable Rate (in hundredths)	0.90%