Fair Value Accounting, Commodity Contracts (Details) $ in Thousands, MWh in Millions	3 Months Ended			6 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($) MWh MMBTU	Apr. 12, 2016 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($) MWh MMBTU	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($) MWh MMBTU	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) MWh MMBTU
Cleco Power [Member]
Amount of gain(loss) recognized in income on derivatives [Abstract]
Volume of FTRs Held (MWh) | MWh	13.4			13.4	13.4		8.4
FTRs [Member] | Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments [Member] | Accumulated deferred fuel [Member]
Amount of gain(loss) recognized in income on derivatives [Abstract]
FTR Unrealized Gain (Loss)	$ 1,800	$ (1,000)	$ (700)	$ 2,500		$ 1,100
FTRs [Member] | Cleco Power [Member] | Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments [Member]
Fair value of derivative instruments and their respective line items [Abstract]
Commodity-related contracts, net	9,576			$ 9,576	$ 9,576		$ 7,398
Amount of gain(loss) recognized in income on derivatives [Abstract]
Total	4,652		3,301		14,527	20,257
FTRs [Member] | Cleco Power [Member] | Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments [Member] | Accumulated deferred fuel [Member]
Amount of gain(loss) recognized in income on derivatives [Abstract]
FTR Unrealized Gain (Loss)	1,800		(700)		1,500	1,100
FTRs [Member] | Cleco Power [Member] | Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments [Member] | Electric operations [Member]
Amount of gain(loss) recognized in income on derivatives [Abstract]
FTR gain	9,718		8,988		32,030	42,594
FTRs [Member] | Cleco Power [Member] | Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments [Member] | Power purchased for utility customers [Member]
Amount of gain(loss) recognized in income on derivatives [Abstract]
FTR loss	$ (5,066)		(5,687)		$ (17,503)	(22,337)
Energy Related Derivative [Member]
Amount of gain(loss) recognized in income on derivatives [Abstract]
Number of open natural gas positions | MMBTU	0			0	0		0
Energy Related Derivative [Member] | Cleco Power [Member]
Amount of gain(loss) recognized in income on derivatives [Abstract]
Number of open natural gas positions | MMBTU	0			0	0		0
Successor [Member] | FTRs [Member] | Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments [Member]
Fair value of derivative instruments and their respective line items [Abstract]
Commodity-related contracts, net	$ 9,576			$ 9,576	$ 9,576
Amount of gain(loss) recognized in income on derivatives [Abstract]
Total	4,652			11,725
Successor [Member] | FTRs [Member] | Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments [Member] | Energy risk management asset
Fair value of derivative instruments and their respective line items [Abstract]
FTRs, Fair Value	9,994			9,994	9,994
Successor [Member] | FTRs [Member] | Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments [Member] | Energy risk management liabilities
Fair value of derivative instruments and their respective line items [Abstract]
FTRs, Fair Value	418			418	$ 418
Successor [Member] | FTRs [Member] | Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments [Member] | Electric operations [Member]
Amount of gain(loss) recognized in income on derivatives [Abstract]
FTR gain	9,718			23,467
Successor [Member] | FTRs [Member] | Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments [Member] | Power purchased for utility customers [Member]
Amount of gain(loss) recognized in income on derivatives [Abstract]
FTR loss	$ (5,066)			$ (11,742)
Predecessor [Member] | FTRs [Member] | Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments [Member]
Fair value of derivative instruments and their respective line items [Abstract]
Commodity-related contracts, net							$ 7,398
Amount of gain(loss) recognized in income on derivatives [Abstract]
Total		2,802	3,301			20,257
Predecessor [Member] | FTRs [Member] | Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments [Member] | Energy risk management asset
Fair value of derivative instruments and their respective line items [Abstract]
FTRs, Fair Value							7,673
Predecessor [Member] | FTRs [Member] | Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments [Member] | Energy risk management liabilities
Fair value of derivative instruments and their respective line items [Abstract]
FTRs, Fair Value							$ 275
Predecessor [Member] | FTRs [Member] | Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments [Member] | Electric operations [Member]
Amount of gain(loss) recognized in income on derivatives [Abstract]
FTR gain		8,563	8,988			42,594
Predecessor [Member] | FTRs [Member] | Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments [Member] | Power purchased for utility customers [Member]
Amount of gain(loss) recognized in income on derivatives [Abstract]
FTR loss		$ (5,761)	$ (5,687)			$ (22,337)