Fair Value Accounting, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures(Details)		3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended
	Apr. 12, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2017 USD ($) $ / MW	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Apr. 12, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2017 USD ($) $ / MW	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) $ / MW
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
FTR Forward Price - per MWh, Low | $ / MW		(3.28)				(3.28)		(3.61)
FTRs Forward Price - per MWh, High | $ / MW		6.30				6.30		6.04
Fair Value, Concentration of Risk, Amount of Money Market Funds in Cash and Cash Equivalents		$ 6,800,000				$ 6,800,000		$ 20,000,000
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities, Transfers between Levels, Amount		0				0		0
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, Current
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value, Concentration of Risk, Amount of Money Market Funds in Institutional Money Market Funds		17,000,000				17,000,000		23,100,000
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, Noncurrent
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value, Concentration of Risk, Amount of Money Market Funds in Institutional Money Market Funds		23,400,000				23,400,000		23,300,000
Measured On A Recurring Basis
Asset Description [Abstract]
Institutional money market funds		47,209,000				47,209,000		66,410,000
FTR assets		18,245,000				18,245,000		7,884,000
Total Assets		65,454,000				65,454,000		74,294,000
Liability Description [Abstract]
FTR liabilities		302,000				302,000		201,000
Total Liabilities		302,000				302,000		201,000
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Measured On A Recurring Basis
Asset Description [Abstract]
Institutional money market funds		0				0		0
FTR assets		0				0		0
Total Assets		0				0		0
Liability Description [Abstract]
FTR liabilities		0				0		0
Total Liabilities		0				0		0
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Measured On A Recurring Basis
Asset Description [Abstract]
Institutional money market funds		47,209,000				47,209,000		66,410,000
FTR assets		0				0		0
Total Assets		47,209,000				47,209,000		66,410,000
Liability Description [Abstract]
FTR liabilities		0				0		0
Total Liabilities		0				0		0
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) | Measured On A Recurring Basis
Asset Description [Abstract]
Institutional money market funds		0				0		0
FTR assets		18,245,000				18,245,000		7,884,000
Total Assets		18,245,000				18,245,000		7,884,000
Liability Description [Abstract]
FTR liabilities		302,000				302,000		201,000
Total Liabilities		302,000				302,000		201,000
Successor | Price Risk Derivative
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance		4,418,000		$ 3,458,000		7,683,000
Unrealized gains (losses)		(2,460,000)		1,234,000		(2,460,000)
Purchases		22,843,000		12,608,000		23,118,000
Settlements		(6,858,000)		(3,682,000)		(10,398,000)
Ending balance	$ 3,458,000	17,943,000	$ 13,618,000	13,618,000	$ 3,458,000	17,943,000	$ 13,618,000
Predecessor | Price Risk Derivative
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	1,866,000		1,866,000	3,458,000	7,398,000		7,398,000
Unrealized gains (losses)	(199,000)				(1,031,000)
Purchases	2,024,000				2,070,000
Settlements	(233,000)				(4,979,000)
Ending balance	3,458,000				3,458,000
Cleco Power
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value, Concentration of Risk, Amount of Money Market Funds in Cash and Cash Equivalents		400,000				400,000		18,700,000
Cleco Power | Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, Current
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value, Concentration of Risk, Amount of Money Market Funds in Institutional Money Market Funds		17,000,000				17,000,000		23,100,000
Cleco Power | Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, Noncurrent
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value, Concentration of Risk, Amount of Money Market Funds in Institutional Money Market Funds		23,400,000				23,400,000		23,300,000
Cleco Power | Measured On A Recurring Basis
Asset Description [Abstract]
Institutional money market funds		40,788,000				40,788,000		65,089,000
FTR assets		18,245,000				18,245,000		7,884,000
Total Assets		59,033,000				59,033,000		72,973,000
Liability Description [Abstract]
FTR liabilities		302,000				302,000		201,000
Total Liabilities		302,000				302,000		201,000
Cleco Power | Price Risk Derivative
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	$ 1,866,000	4,418,000	1,866,000		$ 7,398,000	7,683,000	7,398,000
Unrealized gains (losses)		(2,460,000)	1,035,000			(2,460,000)	203,000
Purchases		22,843,000	14,632,000			23,118,000	14,678,000
Settlements		(6,858,000)	(3,915,000)			(10,398,000)	(8,661,000)
Ending balance		17,943,000	$ 13,618,000	$ 13,618,000		17,943,000	$ 13,618,000
Cleco Power | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Measured On A Recurring Basis
Asset Description [Abstract]
Institutional money market funds		0				0		0
FTR assets		0				0		0
Total Assets		0				0		0
Liability Description [Abstract]
FTR liabilities		0				0		0
Total Liabilities		0				0		0
Cleco Power | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Measured On A Recurring Basis
Asset Description [Abstract]
Institutional money market funds		40,788,000				40,788,000		65,089,000
FTR assets		0				0		0
Total Assets		40,788,000				40,788,000		65,089,000
Liability Description [Abstract]
FTR liabilities		0				0		0
Total Liabilities		0				0		0
Cleco Power | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) | Measured On A Recurring Basis
Asset Description [Abstract]
Institutional money market funds		0				0		0
FTR assets		18,245,000				18,245,000		7,884,000
Total Assets		18,245,000				18,245,000		7,884,000
Liability Description [Abstract]
FTR liabilities		302,000				302,000		201,000
Total Liabilities		$ 302,000				$ 302,000		$ 201,000