Consolidated Statements of Income - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended
	Apr. 12, 2016	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Apr. 12, 2016	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016
Interest charges [Abstract]
Net (loss) income						$ 31,736
Cleco Power
Operating revenue [Abstract]
Electric operations		$ 289,855	$ 263,155			527,408	$ 513,312
Other operations		20,950	15,564			37,315	32,178
Affiliate revenue		221	225			440	457
Gross operating revenue		311,026	278,944			565,163	545,947
Electric customer credits		(239)	(601)			(674)	(922)
Operating revenue, net		310,787	278,343			564,489	545,025
Operating expenses [Abstract]
Fuel used for electric generation		87,974	75,185			157,846	162,629
Power purchased for utility customers		43,356	28,526			75,320	51,631
Other operations		29,782	29,287			61,770	58,681
Maintenance		24,264	27,954			48,684	52,492
Depreciation and amortization		39,473	36,240			78,230	74,843
Taxes other than income taxes		11,404	11,491			23,404	23,916
Merger transaction and commitment costs		0	151,501			0	151,501
Gain on sale of asset						0	(1,095)
Total operating expenses		236,253	360,184			445,254	574,598
Operating (loss) income		74,534	(81,841)			119,235	(29,573)
Interest income		328	146			594	325
Allowance for equity funds used during construction		1,440	821			2,350	1,472
Other income		165	204			375	351
Other expense		(260)	(272)			(534)	(789)
Interest charges [Abstract]
Interest charges, including amortization of debt issuance costs, premiums, and discounts, net		17,812	19,564			36,143	39,034
Allowance for borrowed funds used during construction		(401)	(251)			(628)	(435)
Total interest charges		17,411	19,313			35,515	38,599
(Loss) income before income taxes		58,796	(100,255)			86,505	(66,813)
Federal and state income tax (benefit) expense		23,063	(39,026)			32,918	(26,463)
Net (loss) income		35,733	$ (61,229)			53,587	$ (40,350)
Predecessor
Operating revenue [Abstract]
Electric operations	$ 30,997				$ 281,154
Other operations	1,949				19,080
Affiliate revenue	0				0
Gross operating revenue	32,946				300,234
Electric customer credits	(43)				(364)
Operating revenue, net	32,903				299,870
Operating expenses [Abstract]
Fuel used for electric generation	8,934				96,378
Power purchased for utility customers	4,144				27,249
Other operations	4,244				33,563
Maintenance	5,182				29,813
Depreciation and amortization	5,137				44,076
Taxes other than income taxes	1,704				14,611
Merger transaction and commitment costs	33,390				34,912
Gain on sale of asset					(1,095)
Total operating expenses	62,735				279,507
Operating (loss) income	(29,832)				20,363
Interest income	41				265
Allowance for equity funds used during construction	72				723
Other income	364				870
Other expense	(73)				(590)
Interest charges [Abstract]
Interest charges, including amortization of debt issuance costs, premiums, and discounts, net	2,592				22,330
Allowance for borrowed funds used during construction	(23)				(207)
Total interest charges	2,569				22,123
(Loss) income before income taxes	(31,997)				(492)
Federal and state income tax (benefit) expense	(8,669)				3,468
Net (loss) income	$ (23,328)				$ (3,960)
Successor
Operating revenue [Abstract]
Electric operations		287,435		$ 229,927		521,491
Other operations		21,465		14,133		38,345
Affiliate revenue		0		0		0
Gross operating revenue		308,900		244,060		559,836
Electric customer credits		(239)		(558)		(674)
Operating revenue, net		308,661		243,502		559,162
Operating expenses [Abstract]
Fuel used for electric generation		87,974		66,251		157,846
Power purchased for utility customers		43,356		24,382		75,320
Other operations		29,256		24,270		61,244
Maintenance		24,400		22,905		48,924
Depreciation and amortization		41,552		34,160		82,402
Taxes other than income taxes		11,874		10,379		24,376
Merger transaction and commitment costs		0		171,303		2
Gain on sale of asset				0		0
Total operating expenses		238,412		353,650		450,114
Operating (loss) income		70,249		(110,148)		109,048
Interest income		381		197		693
Allowance for equity funds used during construction		1,440		749		2,350
Other income		475		1,738		1,845
Other expense		(260)		(187)		(534)
Interest charges [Abstract]
Interest charges, including amortization of debt issuance costs, premiums, and discounts, net		31,022		26,693		62,967
Allowance for borrowed funds used during construction		(401)		(228)		(628)
Total interest charges		30,621		26,465		62,339
(Loss) income before income taxes		41,664		(134,116)		51,063
Federal and state income tax (benefit) expense		16,220		(52,202)		19,327
Net (loss) income		$ 25,444		$ (81,914)		$ 31,736