Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Summary of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities (Details) - Cleco Power [Member] - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2016	Feb. 01, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	$ 296,818		$ 298,806
Total regulatory assets, net	547,346		548,345
PPA true-up
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory liabilities	(156)		(312)
Regulatory assets – deferred taxes, net
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	237,030		236,941
Mining costs
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	8,284		8,921
Interest costs
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	5,131		5,221
AROs
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	1,639		2,462
Postretirement costs
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	147,823		150,274
Tree trimming costs
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	5,639		6,318
Training costs
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	6,824		6,863
Surcredits, net
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	8,754		9,661
Amended lignite mining agreement contingency
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	3,781		3,781
AMI deferred revenue requirement
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	5,181		5,318
Production operations and maintenance expenses
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	11,088		12,436
AFUDC equity gross-up
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	71,061		71,444
Acquisition/ transaction costs [Member]
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	2,521		2,548
Acquisition/ transaction costs [Member] | Coughlin transaction costs
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	1,022		1,030
Financing costs
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	8,940		9,032
Biomass costs
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	42		50
MISO integration costs
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	2,106		2,340
Corporate franchise tax
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	90		373
Acadia FRP true-up
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	189		377
MATS costs
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	6,405	$ 7,100	0
Other
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	298		357
Fuel and purchased power
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net [Line Items]
Regulatory assets	$ 13,654		$ 12,910