Income Taxes, Current and Deferred Income Tax Expense (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Current and deferred income tax expense [Abstract]
Current federal income tax (benefit) expense	$ 1,284	$ 11,082	$ 15,672
Deferred federal income tax expense	76,219	71,061	65,237
Amortization of accumulated deferred investment tax credits	(916)	(983)	(1,108)
Total federal income tax expense	76,587	81,160	79,801
Current state income tax (benefit) expense	3,233	(6,580)	(978)
Deferred state income tax expense (benefit)	(2,116)	(7,464)	752
Total state income tax expense (benefit)	1,117	(14,044)	(226)
Total taxes	77,704	67,116	79,575
Items charged or credited directly to shareholders' equity
Income Tax Effects Allocated Directly to Equity	3,802	(4,246)	4,062
Total federal and state income tax expense	81,506	62,870	83,637
Increase in total tax expense from items charged directly to equity	8,000
Amortization and Interest Recognized	1,100	3,400	13,300
Cleco Power [Member]
Current and deferred income tax expense [Abstract]
Current federal income tax (benefit) expense	33,138	(197)	(33)
Deferred federal income tax expense	45,572	83,676	81,188
Amortization of accumulated deferred investment tax credits	(916)	(983)	(1,108)
Total federal income tax expense	77,794	82,496	80,047
Current state income tax (benefit) expense	3,397	(4,161)	(1,012)
Deferred state income tax expense (benefit)	(1,897)	(1,361)	346
Total state income tax expense (benefit)	1,500	(5,522)	(666)
Total taxes	79,294	76,974	79,381
Items charged or credited directly to shareholders' equity
Income Tax Effects Allocated Directly to Equity	123	(1,321)	3,280
Total federal and state income tax expense	79,417	75,653	82,661
Increase in total tax expense from items charged directly to equity	1,400
Federal
Items charged or credited directly to shareholders' equity
Income Tax Effects Allocated Directly to Equity	3,274	(3,656)	3,497
Federal | Cleco Power [Member]
Items charged or credited directly to shareholders' equity
Income Tax Effects Allocated Directly to Equity	106	(1,137)	2,824
State
Items charged or credited directly to shareholders' equity
Income Tax Effects Allocated Directly to Equity	528	(590)	565
State | Cleco Power [Member]
Items charged or credited directly to shareholders' equity
Income Tax Effects Allocated Directly to Equity	$ 17	$ (184)	$ 456