Variable Interest Entities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Equity investment in investee	$ 19,272		$ 16,822
Cash contributions to Oxbow	2,450	$ 0
Components of equity method investments [Abstract]
Total equity investment in investee	19,272		16,822
Cleco Power [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Equity investment in investee	19,272		16,822
Cash contributions to Oxbow	2,450	0
Components of equity method investments [Abstract]
Total equity investment in investee	19,272		16,822
Oxbow [Member]
Equity Method Investment, Summarized Financial Information [Abstract]
Current assets	1,984		2,794
Total assets	39,375		33,763
Current liabilities	831		118
Partners' capital	38,544		33,645
Total liabilities and partners' capital	39,375		33,763
Operating revenue	2,101	854
Operating expenses	2,101	854
Income before taxes	0	$ 0
Oxbow [Member] | Property, plant, and equipment, net [Member]
Equity Method Investment, Summarized Financial Information [Abstract]
Other assets	25,898		23,749
Oxbow [Member] | Other Assets [Member]
Equity Method Investment, Summarized Financial Information [Abstract]
Other assets	$ 11,493		7,220
Oxbow [Member] | Cleco Power [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Ownership percentage by Cleco Power (in hundredths)	50.00%
Ownership percentage by other parties (in hundredths)	50.00%
Equity investment in investee	$ 19,272		16,822
Cash contributions to Oxbow	2,500
Components of equity method investments [Abstract]
Purchase price	12,873		12,873
Cash contributions	6,399		3,949
Total equity investment in investee	19,272		16,822
Comparison of carrying amount of assets and liabilities to maximum loss exposure [Abstract]
Cleco Power’s 50% equity	19,272		16,822
Cleco Power’s maximum exposure to loss	19,272		16,822
Equity Method Investment, Summarized Financial Information [Abstract]
Partners' capital	$ 38,544		$ 33,645