Fair Value Accounting, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures(Details)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($) $ / MW	Mar. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) $ / MW
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Roll Forward]
FTR Forward Price Low | $ / MW	(2.78)		(3.63)
FTRs Forward Price High | $ / MW	3.36		4.51
Transfers between fair value levels	$ 0		$ 0
Cash and Cash Equivalents [Member]
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Roll Forward]
Concentrations of Credit Risk	107,700,000
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, Current [Member]
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Roll Forward]
Concentrations of Credit Risk	4,900,000
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, Noncurrent [Member]
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Roll Forward]
Concentrations of Credit Risk	16,300,000
Cleco Power [Member] | Cash and Cash Equivalents [Member]
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Roll Forward]
Concentrations of Credit Risk	106,700,000
Cleco Power [Member] | Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, Current [Member]
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Roll Forward]
Concentrations of Credit Risk	4,900,000
Cleco Power [Member] | Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, Noncurrent [Member]
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Roll Forward]
Concentrations of Credit Risk	16,300,000
FTRs [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member]
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Roll Forward]
Beginning fair value of FTR assets (liabilities), net	7,398,000	$ 9,949,000
Unrealized losses	(832,000)	(1,710,000)
Purchases	46,000	63,000
Settlements	(4,746,000)	(6,489,000)
Ending fair value of FTR assets (liabilities), net	1,866,000	$ 1,813,000
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member]
Asset Description [Abstract]
Institutional money market funds	128,900,000		89,584,000
FTR assets	2,252,000		7,673,000
Total Assets	131,152,000		97,257,000
Liability Description [Abstract]
Long-term debt	1,466,817,000		1,463,989,000
FTR liabilities	386,000		275,000
Total Liabilities	1,467,203,000		1,464,264,000
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member]
Asset Description [Abstract]
Institutional money market funds	0		0
FTR assets	0		0
Total Assets	0		0
Liability Description [Abstract]
Long-term debt	0		0
FTR liabilities	0		0
Total Liabilities	0		0
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member]
Asset Description [Abstract]
Institutional money market funds	128,900,000		89,584,000
FTR assets	0		0
Total Assets	128,900,000		89,584,000
Liability Description [Abstract]
Long-term debt	1,466,817,000		1,463,989,000
FTR liabilities	0		0
Total Liabilities	1,466,817,000		1,463,989,000
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member]
Asset Description [Abstract]
Institutional money market funds	0		0
FTR assets	2,252,000		7,673,000
Total Assets	2,252,000		7,673,000
Liability Description [Abstract]
Long-term debt	0		0
FTR liabilities	386,000		275,000
Total Liabilities	386,000		275,000
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Cleco Power [Member]
Asset Description [Abstract]
Institutional money market funds	127,879,000		87,363,000
FTR assets	2,252,000		7,673,000
Total Assets	130,131,000		95,036,000
Liability Description [Abstract]
Long-term debt	1,439,817,000		1,429,989,000
FTR liabilities	386,000		275,000
Total Liabilities	1,440,203,000		1,430,264,000
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Cleco Power [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member]
Asset Description [Abstract]
Institutional money market funds	0		0
FTR assets	0		0
Total Assets	0		0
Liability Description [Abstract]
Long-term debt	0		0
FTR liabilities	0		0
Total Liabilities	0		0
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Cleco Power [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member]
Asset Description [Abstract]
Institutional money market funds	127,879,000		87,363,000
FTR assets	0		0
Total Assets	127,879,000		87,363,000
Liability Description [Abstract]
Long-term debt	1,439,817,000		1,429,989,000
FTR liabilities	0		0
Total Liabilities	1,439,817,000		1,429,989,000
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Cleco Power [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member]
Asset Description [Abstract]
Institutional money market funds	0		0
FTR assets	2,252,000		7,673,000
Total Assets	2,252,000		7,673,000
Liability Description [Abstract]
Long-term debt	0		0
FTR liabilities	386,000		275,000
Total Liabilities	$ 386,000		$ 275,000