Variable Interest Entities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Components of equity method investments [Abstract]
Total equity investment in investee	$ 16,822	$ 14,540	$ 14,540
Cash contributions to Equity method investments	2,290	0	0
Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Summarized financial information [Abstract]
Current assets	2,794	2,792
Total assets	33,763	29,096
Current liabilities	118	31
Partners' capital	33,645	29,065
Total liabilities and partners' capital	33,763	29,096
Operating revenue	3,991	2,248	2,558
Operating expenses	3,991	2,248	2,558
Income before taxes	0	0	0
Property, plant, and equipment, net [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Summarized financial information [Abstract]
Noncurrent Asset	23,749	22,457
Other Assets [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Summarized financial information [Abstract]
Noncurrent Asset	7,220	3,847
Cleco Power [Member]
Components of equity method investments [Abstract]
Total equity investment in investee	16,822	14,532
Cash contributions to Equity method investments	$ 2,290	0	$ 0
Cleco Power [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Variable interest entity, ownership percentage (in hundredths)	50.00%
Ownership percentage by other parties (in hundredths)	50.00%
Components of equity method investments [Abstract]
Purchase price	$ 12,873	12,873
Equity Method Investment, Contributed Assets Cash	3,949	1,659
Total equity investment in investee	16,822	14,532
Cash contributions to Equity method investments	2,300
Comparison of carrying amount of assets and liabilities to maximum loss exposure [Abstract]
Cleco Power's 50% equity	16,822	14,532
Cleco Power's maximum exposure to loss	16,822	14,532
Summarized financial information [Abstract]
Partners' capital	$ 33,645	29,065
Diversified Lands [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Components of equity method investments [Abstract]
Total equity investment in investee		$ 100