Pension Plan and Employee Benefits, SERP (Details) - SERP Benefits [Member] - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended
	Apr. 12, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Apr. 12, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Assumptions Used Calculating Benefit Obligation, Discount Rate	4.60%	4.15%	4.15%	4.60%		4.15%
Cleco Power [Member]
Components of periodic benefit costs [Abstract]
Total benefit cost			$ 300		$ 600	$ 800	$ 1,100
Current portion of SERP liability		$ 864	864			864		$ 1,000
Noncurrent portion of SERP liability		21,503	21,503			21,503		21,321
Successor [Member]
Components of periodic benefit costs [Abstract]
Service cost		589
Interest cost		755
Prior period service cost		0
Net loss		0
Net periodic benefit cost		1,344
Total benefit cost		1,344
Current portion of SERP liability		4,363	4,363			4,363
Noncurrent portion of SERP liability		75,094	$ 75,094			$ 75,094
Predecessor [Member]
Components of periodic benefit costs [Abstract]
Service cost	$ 119			$ 702	728		1,353
Interest cost	169			900	744		1,528
Prior period service cost	3			17	13		26
Net loss	(81)			574	782		1,487
Net periodic benefit cost	210			2,193	2,267		4,394
Curtailments	3,602	0		3,602	0		0
Special/contractual termination benefits	3,222	$ 0		3,222	0		0
Total benefit cost	$ 7,034			$ 9,017	$ 2,267		$ 4,394
Current portion of SERP liability								3,238
Noncurrent portion of SERP liability								$ 69,049