This element represents the number of railcars the entity has in each group.

No definition available.

Name:	cnl_NumberOfRailcars
Namespace Prefix:	cnl_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of Towboats

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cnl_NumberofTowboats
Namespace Prefix:	cnl_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cnl_OperatingLeasesAdditionalDisclosuresAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	cnl_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of rent expense incurred for leased assets, including but not limited to, furniture and equipment, that is not directly or indirectly associated with the manufacture, sale or creation of a product or product line.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LeaseAndRentalExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Term of the lessee's leasing arrangement, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LesseeLeasingArrangementsOperatingLeasesTermOfContract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of required minimum rental payments for leases having an initial or remaining non-cancelable letter-terms in excess of one year.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 840
-SubTopic 10
-Section 55
-Paragraph 40
-Subparagraph (Note 3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6584154&loc=d3e38371-112697

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 840
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6453985&loc=d3e41502-112717

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of required minimum rental payments for operating leases having an initial or remaining non-cancelable lease term in excess of one year due in the next fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of required minimum rental payments for operating leases having an initial or remaining non-cancelable lease term in excess of one year due in the fifth fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 840
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6453985&loc=d3e41502-112717

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 840
-SubTopic 10
-Section 55
-Paragraph 40
-Subparagraph (Note 3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6584154&loc=d3e38371-112697

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInFiveYears
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of required minimum rental payments for operating leases having an initial or remaining non-cancelable lease term in excess of one year due in the fourth fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInFourYears
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of required minimum rental payments for operating leases having an initial or remaining non-cancelable lease term in excess of one year due in the third fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInThreeYears
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of required minimum rental payments for operating leases having an initial or remaining non-cancelable lease term in excess of one year due in the second fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInTwoYears
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of required minimum rental payments for operating leases having an initial or remaining non-cancelable lease term in excess of one year due after the fifth fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueThereafter
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=cnl_UtilitySystemMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=cnl_UtilitySystem2Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=cnl_UtilitySystem3Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=us-gaap_RailroadTransportationEquipmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=cnl_RailcarsGroup1Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=cnl_RailcarsGroup2Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=us-gaap_MaritimeEquipmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Operating Leases (Details) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Operating Leases (Details) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) railcar Towboat	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Expected operating lease payments [Abstract]
Year ending Dec. 31, 2017	$ 6,820
Year ending Dec. 31, 2018	3,252
Year ending Dec. 31, 2019	2,823
Year ending Dec. 31, 2020	2,801
Year ending Dec. 31, 2021	2,396
Thereafter	3,301
Total operating lease payments	21,393
Operating leases, additional disclosures [Abstract]
Lease expenses recognized	9,000	$ 9,400	$ 9,400
Cleco Power [Member]
Expected operating lease payments [Abstract]
Year ending Dec. 31, 2017	6,505
Year ending Dec. 31, 2018	2,939
Year ending Dec. 31, 2019	2,823
Year ending Dec. 31, 2020	2,801
Year ending Dec. 31, 2021	2,396
Thereafter	3,301
Total operating lease payments	$ 20,765
Cleco Power [Member] \| Utility System [Member]
Operating leases, additional disclosures [Abstract]
Term of operating lease (in years)	10 years
Cleco Power [Member] \| Utility System 2 [Member]
Operating leases, additional disclosures [Abstract]
Term of operating lease (in years)	10 years
Cleco Power [Member] \| Utility System 3 [Member]
Operating leases, additional disclosures [Abstract]
Term of operating lease (in years)	27 years
Cleco Power [Member] \| Railroad Transportation Equipment [Member]
Operating leases, additional disclosures [Abstract]
Number of railcars \| railcar	231
Cleco Power [Member] \| Railcars Group 1 [Member]
Operating leases, additional disclosures [Abstract]
Number of railcars \| railcar	115
Cleco Power [Member] \| Railcars Group 2 [Member]
Operating leases, additional disclosures [Abstract]
Number of railcars \| railcar	116
Cleco Power [Member] \| Maritime Equipment [Member]
Operating leases, additional disclosures [Abstract]
Number of Towboats \| Towboat	3
Cleco Holdings [Member]
Expected operating lease payments [Abstract]
Year ending Dec. 31, 2017	$ 315
Year ending Dec. 31, 2018	313
Year ending Dec. 31, 2019	0
Year ending Dec. 31, 2020	0
Year ending Dec. 31, 2021	0
Thereafter	0
Total operating lease payments	$ 628