Pension Plan and Employee Benefits, Pension Plan and Other Benefits Plan (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016
Other Benefits [Member]
Components of periodic benefit costs [Abstract]
Assets Held-in-trust, Noncurrent	$ 0
Current portion of other benefits liability	3,854,000		$ 3,854,000
Noncurrent portion of other benefits liability	39,934,000		40,196,000
Other Benefits [Member] | Cleco Power [Member]
Components of periodic benefit costs [Abstract]
Net periodic benefit cost	900,000	$ 800,000
Current portion of other benefits liability	3,345,000		3,345,000
Noncurrent portion of other benefits liability	34,668,000		$ 34,892,000
Successor [Member] | Pension Benefits [Member]
Components of periodic benefit costs [Abstract]
Service cost	2,225,000
Interest cost	5,358,000
Expected return on plan assets	(6,138,000)
Prior period service (credit) cost	(18,000)
Net loss (gain)	2,413,000
Net periodic benefit cost	3,840,000
Successor [Member] | Pension Benefits [Member] | Other Subsidiaries [Member]
Components of periodic benefit costs [Abstract]
Net periodic benefit cost	400,000
Successor [Member] | Other Benefits [Member]
Components of periodic benefit costs [Abstract]
Service cost	385,000
Interest cost	403,000
Expected return on plan assets	0
Prior period service (credit) cost	0
Net loss (gain)	(3,000)
Net periodic benefit cost	$ 785,000
Predecessor [Member] | Pension Benefits [Member]
Components of periodic benefit costs [Abstract]
Service cost		2,262,000
Interest cost		5,507,000
Expected return on plan assets		(6,010,000)
Prior period service (credit) cost		(18,000)
Net loss (gain)		2,469,000
Net periodic benefit cost		4,210,000
Predecessor [Member] | Pension Benefits [Member] | Other Subsidiaries [Member]
Components of periodic benefit costs [Abstract]
Net periodic benefit cost		400,000
Predecessor [Member] | Other Benefits [Member]
Components of periodic benefit costs [Abstract]
Service cost		380,000
Interest cost		420,000
Expected return on plan assets		0
Prior period service (credit) cost		30,000
Net loss (gain)		160,000
Net periodic benefit cost		$ 990,000