Schedule I Financial Statements of Cleco Holdings (Parent Company Only) - Condensed Statements of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Apr. 12, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2018		Dec. 31, 2017		Dec. 31, 2016
SUCCESSOR
Operating activities
Net cash provided by operating activities		$ 69,890,000	$ 317,761,000		$ 265,428,000
Investing activities
Return of equity investment in tax credit fund		901,000	2,775,000		7,502,000
Other investing		622,000	397,000		(130,000)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities		(135,261,000)	(288,160,000)		(203,554,000)
Financing activities
Draws on credit facilities		15,000,000	0		179,000,000
Payments on credit facilities		(15,000,000)	0		(179,000,000)
Issuances of long-term debt		1,680,000,000	50,000,000		125,000,000
Repayments of long-term debt		(1,668,268,000)	(19,193,000)		(17,896,000)
Payment of financing costs		(8,655,000)	(791,000)		(463,000)
Dividends paid on common stock		(572,000)	0		0
Contribution from member		100,720,000	0		0
Distributions to member		(88,765,000)	(71,350,000)		(84,065,000)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities		(5,999,000)	(41,717,000)		20,757,000
Net (decrease) increase in cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash, and restricted cash equivalents		(71,370,000)	(12,116,000)		82,631,000
Cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash, and restricted cash equivalents at beginning of period		140,941,000	152,202,000	[1]	69,571,000
Cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash, and restricted cash equivalents at end of period	$ 140,941,000	69,571,000	140,086,000	[2]	152,202,000	[1]	$ 69,571,000
Supplementary cash flow information
Interest paid, net of amount capitalized		97,927,000	124,154,000		118,009,000
Income taxes paid (refunded), net		4,263,000	272,000		(6,000)
PREDECESSOR
Operating activities
Net cash provided by operating activities	129,780,000
Investing activities
Return of equity investment in tax credit fund	476,000
Other investing	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(41,658,000)
Financing activities
Draws on credit facilities	3,000,000
Payments on credit facilities	(10,000,000)
Issuances of long-term debt	0
Repayments of long-term debt	(8,546,000)
Payment of financing costs	(43,000)
Dividends paid on common stock	(24,579,000)
Contribution from member	0
Distributions to member	0
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(40,885,000)
Net (decrease) increase in cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash, and restricted cash equivalents	47,237,000
Cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash, and restricted cash equivalents at beginning of period	93,704,000	140,941,000					93,704,000
Cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash, and restricted cash equivalents at end of period	140,941,000
Supplementary cash flow information
Interest paid, net of amount capitalized	2,478,000
Income taxes paid (refunded), net	(481,000)
Cleco Holdings | SUCCESSOR
Operating activities
Net cash provided by operating activities		36,811,000	97,614,000		124,817,000
Investing activities
Contributions to tax credit fund		0	0		(630,000)
Return of equity investment in tax credit fund		901,000	2,775,000		7,502,000
Contribution to subsidiary		(50,000,000)	(1,250,000)		0
Other investing		0	442,000		0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities		(49,099,000)	1,967,000		6,872,000
Financing activities
Draws on credit facilities		0	0		73,000,000
Payments on credit facilities		0	0		(73,000,000)
Issuances of long-term debt		1,350,000,000	0		0
Repayments of long-term debt		(1,350,000,000)	0		0
Payment of financing costs		(3,755,000)	(25,000)		(269,000)
Dividends paid on common stock		(572,000)	0		0
Contribution from member		100,720,000	0		0
Distributions to member		(88,765,000)	(71,350,000)		(84,065,000)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities		7,628,000	(71,375,000)		(84,334,000)
Net (decrease) increase in cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash, and restricted cash equivalents		(4,660,000)	28,206,000		47,355,000
Cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash, and restricted cash equivalents at beginning of period		6,037,000	48,732,000		1,377,000
Cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash, and restricted cash equivalents at end of period	6,037,000	1,377,000	76,938,000		48,732,000		1,377,000
Supplementary cash flow information
Interest paid, net of amount capitalized		26,264,000	53,798,000		52,026,000
Income taxes paid (refunded), net		4,263,000	2,000		(6,000)
Supplementary non-cash investing and financing activities
Non-cash contribution to subsidiary, net of tax		0	$ 3,865,000		$ 0
Cleco Holdings | PREDECESSOR
Operating activities
Net cash provided by operating activities	34,904,000
Investing activities
Contributions to tax credit fund	0
Return of equity investment in tax credit fund	476,000
Contribution to subsidiary	0
Other investing	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	476,000
Financing activities
Draws on credit facilities	3,000,000
Payments on credit facilities	(10,000,000)
Issuances of long-term debt	0
Repayments of long-term debt	0
Payment of financing costs	0
Dividends paid on common stock	(24,579,000)
Contribution from member	0
Distributions to member	0
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(31,579,000)
Net (decrease) increase in cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash, and restricted cash equivalents	3,801,000
Cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash, and restricted cash equivalents at beginning of period	2,236,000	$ 6,037,000					$ 2,236,000
Cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash, and restricted cash equivalents at end of period	6,037,000
Supplementary cash flow information
Interest paid, net of amount capitalized	126,000
Income taxes paid (refunded), net	1,000
Supplementary non-cash investing and financing activities
Non-cash contribution to subsidiary, net of tax	$ 0

[1] Includes cash and cash equivalents of $119,040, current restricted cash and cash equivalents of $13,081, and non-current restricted cash and cash equivalents of $20,081.

[2] Includes cash and cash equivalents of $110,175, current restricted cash and cash equivalents of $11,241, and non-current restricted cash and cash equivalents of $18,670.