Variable Interest Entities - Carrying Amount of Assets and Liabilities with Maximum Exposure to Loss (Details) - Cleco Power - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Oxbow’s net assets/liabilities	$ 36,345	$ 36,345
Oxbow
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Cleco Power’s 50% equity	18,172	18,172
Cleco Power’s maximum exposure to loss	$ 18,172	$ 18,172