Fair Value Accounting, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures(Details)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017 USD ($) $ / MW	Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) $ / MW
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Roll Forward]
FTR Forward Price - per MWh, Low | $ / MW	(3.25)		(3.61)
FTRs Forward Price - per MWh, High | $ / MW	6.63		6.04
Fair Value, Concentration of Risk, Amount of Money Market Funds in Cash and Cash Equivalents	$ 19,000,000		$ 20,000,000
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities, Transfers between Levels, Amount	0		0
Cleco Power [Member]
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Roll Forward]
Fair Value, Concentration of Risk, Amount of Money Market Funds in Cash and Cash Equivalents	19,000,000		18,700,000
Price Risk Derivative [Member] | Cleco Power [Member]
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	7,683,000	$ 7,398,000
Unrealized gains (losses)	2,104,000	(832,000)
Purchases	275,000	46,000
Settlements	(5,644,000)	(4,746,000)
Ending balance	4,418,000	1,866,000
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member]
Asset Description [Abstract]
Institutional money market funds	56,624,000		66,410,000
FTR assets	4,957,000		7,884,000
Total Assets	61,581,000		74,294,000
Liability Description [Abstract]
FTR liabilities	539,000		201,000
Total Liabilities	539,000		201,000
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Cleco Power [Member]
Asset Description [Abstract]
Institutional money market funds	56,598,000		65,089,000
FTR assets	4,957,000		7,884,000
Total Assets	61,555,000		72,973,000
Liability Description [Abstract]
FTR liabilities	539,000		201,000
Total Liabilities	539,000		201,000
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member]
Asset Description [Abstract]
Institutional money market funds	0		0
FTR assets	0		0
Total Assets	0		0
Liability Description [Abstract]
FTR liabilities	0		0
Total Liabilities	0		0
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] | Cleco Power [Member]
Asset Description [Abstract]
Institutional money market funds	0		0
FTR assets	0		0
Total Assets	0		0
Liability Description [Abstract]
FTR liabilities	0		0
Total Liabilities	0		0
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member]
Asset Description [Abstract]
Institutional money market funds	56,624,000		66,410,000
FTR assets	0		0
Total Assets	56,624,000		66,410,000
Liability Description [Abstract]
FTR liabilities	0		0
Total Liabilities	0		0
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Cleco Power [Member]
Asset Description [Abstract]
Institutional money market funds	56,598,000		65,089,000
FTR assets	0		0
Total Assets	56,598,000		65,089,000
Liability Description [Abstract]
FTR liabilities	0		0
Total Liabilities	0		0
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member]
Asset Description [Abstract]
Institutional money market funds	0		0
FTR assets	4,957,000		7,884,000
Total Assets	4,957,000		7,884,000
Liability Description [Abstract]
FTR liabilities	539,000		201,000
Total Liabilities	539,000		201,000
Measured On A Recurring Basis [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Cleco Power [Member]
Asset Description [Abstract]
Institutional money market funds	0		0
FTR assets	4,957,000		7,884,000
Total Assets	4,957,000		7,884,000
Liability Description [Abstract]
FTR liabilities	539,000		201,000
Total Liabilities	539,000		201,000
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, Current [Member]
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Roll Forward]
Fair Value, Concentration of Risk, Amount of Money Market Funds in Institutional Money Market Funds	14,100,000		23,100,000
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, Current [Member] | Cleco Power [Member]
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Roll Forward]
Fair Value, Concentration of Risk, Amount of Money Market Funds in Institutional Money Market Funds	14,100,000		23,100,000
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, Noncurrent [Member]
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Roll Forward]
Fair Value, Concentration of Risk, Amount of Money Market Funds in Institutional Money Market Funds	23,500,000		23,300,000
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, Noncurrent [Member] | Cleco Power [Member]
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Roll Forward]
Fair Value, Concentration of Risk, Amount of Money Market Funds in Institutional Money Market Funds	23,500,000		$ 23,300,000
Successor [Member] | Price Risk Derivative [Member]
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	7,683,000
Unrealized gains (losses)	2,104,000
Purchases	275,000
Settlements	(5,644,000)
Ending balance	$ 4,418,000
Predecessor [Member] | Price Risk Derivative [Member]
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance		7,398,000
Unrealized gains (losses)		(832,000)
Purchases		46,000
Settlements		(4,746,000)
Ending balance		$ 1,866,000