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Debt, Long-term Debt (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands			6 Months Ended
Debt, Long-term Debt (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 29, 2016	Apr. 13, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Jul. 01, 2016	Jun. 28, 2016	May 24, 2016	May 17, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt outstanding			$ 2,780,000
Long-term debt due within one year			20,000
Capital lease payments due within one year			2,700
Cleco Katrina Rita Storm Recovery Bonds [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal payments for long term debt due within one year			17,300
Parent Company [Member] \| Debt Issuance Cost Amortization [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt issuance costs		$ 17,700
Parent Company [Member] \| Cleco Holdings debt, variable rate, due 2019 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt amount		$ 1,350,000
Term		3 years
Parent Company [Member] \| Cleco Holdings' senior notes, 3.743%, due 2026 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt amount							$ 535,000
Interest rate							3.743%
Parent Company [Member] \| Cleco Holdings' senior notes, 4.973%, due 2046 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt amount							$ 350,000
Interest rate							4.973%
Parent Company [Member] \| Cleco Holdings' senior notes, 3.250%, due 2023 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt amount						$ 165,000
Interest rate						3.25%
Parent Company [Member] \| Cleco Corporate Holdings debt, variable rate, due 2021 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt amount					$ 300,000
Cleco Power [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt outstanding			1,240,000
Long-term debt due within one year			20,007					$ 19,421
Capital lease payments due within one year			2,700
Increase (decrease) in long-term debt			(9,200)
Cleco Power [Member] \| Capital Lease Obligations [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Increase (decrease) in long-term debt			(1,300)
Cleco Power [Member] \| Cleco Katrina Rita Storm Recovery Bonds [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal payments for long term debt due within one year			17,300
Increase (decrease) in long-term debt			(8,500)
Cleco Power [Member] \| Debt Discount Amortization [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Increase (decrease) in long-term debt			200
Cleco Power [Member] \| Debt Issuance Cost Amortization [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Increase (decrease) in long-term debt			$ 400
Base Rate [Member] \| Parent Company [Member] \| Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate			0.75%
Base Rate [Member] \| Parent Company [Member] \| Cleco Holdings debt, variable rate, due 2019 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate		0.75%
Base Rate [Member] \| Parent Company [Member] \| Cleco Corporate Holdings debt, variable rate, due 2021 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate			4.125%
Basis spread on variable rate	0.625%
Base Rate [Member] \| Cleco Power [Member] \| Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate			0.125%
London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] \| Parent Company [Member] \| Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate			1.75%
London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] \| Parent Company [Member] \| Cleco Holdings debt, variable rate, due 2019 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate		1.75%
London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] \| Parent Company [Member] \| Cleco Corporate Holdings debt, variable rate, due 2021 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate	1.625%
London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] \| Cleco Power [Member] \| Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate			1.125%
Subsequent Event [Member] \| London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] \| Parent Company [Member] \| Cleco Corporate Holdings debt, variable rate, due 2021 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate				2.095%