Debt, Line of Credit Facility (Details) $ in Millions	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017 USD ($)
Cleco Holdings [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity	$ 100.0
Line of Credit Facility, Interest Rate at Period End	2.98%
Line of Credit Facility, Commitment Fee Percentage	0.275%
Cleco Power
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity	$ 300.0
Line of Credit Facility, Interest Rate at Period End	2.32%
Line of Credit Facility, Commitment Fee Percentage	0.125%
London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] | Line of Credit [Member] | Cleco Holdings [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	1.75%
London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] | Line of Credit [Member] | Cleco Power
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	1.125%
Base Rate [Member] | Line of Credit [Member] | Cleco Holdings [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	0.75%
Base Rate [Member] | Line of Credit [Member] | Cleco Power
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	0.125%
Line of Credit [Member] | Cleco Holdings [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Short-term Debt	$ 10.0
Line of Credit [Member] | Cleco Power
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Short-term Debt	$ 75.0