Schedule I Financial Statements of Cleco Holdings (Parent Company Only) - Income Taxes (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Apr. 12, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
SUCCESSOR
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Federal and state income tax expense (benefit)		$ (22,822)	$ 29,382	$ 7,079
PREDECESSOR
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Federal and state income tax expense (benefit)	$ 3,468
Cleco Holdings | SUCCESSOR
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Federal and state income tax expense (benefit)		(22,937)	(22,317)	(23,094)
Equity income from subsidiaries - Federal and state income tax expense		$ 115	$ 51,699	$ 30,173
Cleco Holdings | PREDECESSOR
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Federal and state income tax expense (benefit)	(9,690)
Equity income from subsidiaries - Federal and state income tax expense	$ 13,158