Litigation, Other Commitments and Contingencies, and Disclosures about Guarantees, Off-Balance Sheet Commitments (Details) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Performance Guarantee [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted	$ 42.4
Cleco Power [Member] | Guarantee Issued to Entergy Mississippi on behalf of Attala [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted	106.5
Evangeline [Member] | Indemnification Agreement [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted	40.0
Evangeline [Member] | Indemnification Agreement INCLUDING fundamental organizational structure [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted	400.0
Evangeline [Member] | Cleco Power [Member] | Indemnification Agreement [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted	40.0
Evangeline [Member] | Cleco Power [Member] | Indemnification Agreement INCLUDING fundamental organizational structure [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted	$ 400.0