Pension Plan and Employee Benefits, Pension Plan and Other Benefits Plan (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015
Pension Benefits [Member]
Components of periodic benefit costs [Abstract]
Service cost	$ 2,262,000	$ 2,526,000
Interest cost	5,507,000	5,127,000
Expected return on plan assets	(6,010,000)	(5,834,000)
Amortization [Abstract]
Prior period service (credit) cost	(18,000)	(18,000)
Net loss	2,469,000	3,346,000
Net periodic benefit cost	4,210,000	5,147,000
Other Benefits [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Current portion of other benefits liability	3,613,000		$ 3,613,000
Noncurrent portion of other benefits liability	38,887,000		39,457,000
Components of periodic benefit costs [Abstract]
Service cost	380,000	395,000
Interest cost	420,000	401,000
Expected return on plan assets	0	0
Amortization [Abstract]
Prior period service (credit) cost	30,000	30,000
Net loss	160,000	210,000
Net periodic benefit cost	990,000	1,036,000
Assets Held-in-trust, Noncurrent	0
Cleco Power [Member] | Other Benefits [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Current portion of other benefits liability	3,140,000		3,140,000
Noncurrent portion of other benefits liability	33,801,000		$ 34,300,000
Amortization [Abstract]
Net periodic benefit cost	800,000	900,000
Other Subsidiaries [Member] | Pension Benefits [Member]
Amortization [Abstract]
Net periodic benefit cost	$ 400,000	$ 400,000