Litigation, Other Commitments and Contingencies, and Disclosures about Guarantees - Litigation (Details)				1 Months Ended					24 Months Ended
	Jan. 01, 2020	Mar. 07, 2018 plaintiff	Apr. 13, 2016 claim	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016 petition	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Nov. 30, 2014	Nov. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($) generation generation_unit	Nov. 07, 2019 USD ($)	Sep. 27, 2019 finding recommendation	Jul. 10, 2019 USD ($)	Feb. 04, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Aug. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2017 generation_unit
Litigation [Line Items]
Provision for rate refund										$ 38,903,000					$ 35,842,000
Accrual for various litigation matters										$ 5,000,000
Gulf Coast Spinning start up costs
Litigation [Line Items]
Startup costs						$ 6,500,000
Gulf Coast Spinning construction of cotton spinning facility
Litigation [Line Items]
Startup costs						$ 60,000,000
CLECO POWER
Litigation [Line Items]
Number of generating units owned | generation										10
Provision for rate refund										$ 38,241,000			$ 79,200,000		$ 35,842,000
CLECO POWER | FERC
Litigation [Line Items]
Number of findings | finding												12
Number of recommendations | recommendation												59
Provision for rate refund										3,500,000	$ 3,500,000
Accrual for various litigation matters										1,000,000
CLECO POWER | LPSC Jan 2016 To Dec 2017 EAC Audit
Litigation [Line Items]
Environmental expenses included in audit									$ 30,700,000
CLECO POWER | MISO Transmission Rates
Litigation [Line Items]
Return on equity proposed/recommended				10.32%	9.70%
CLECO POWER | MISO Transmission Rates | FERC
Litigation [Line Items]
Return on equity established by FERC								12.38%
Return on equity proposed/recommended					9.88%			6.68%
Requested rate increase							0.50%
CLECO POWER | LPSC 2016-2017 Fuel Audit
Litigation [Line Items]
Fuel expenses included in audit									536,200,000
Cost disallowance in audit, excluding interest																$ 0
CLECO POWER | LPSC Nov2010-Dec2015 EAC audit
Litigation [Line Items]
Number of petitions filed with the U.S. court of appeals | petition					6
CLECO POWER | Transmission return on equity | FERC
Litigation [Line Items]
Provision for rate refund										$ 1,000,000
Cleco Cajun
Litigation [Line Items]
Number of generating units owned | generation_unit										8
Actions filed in the 9th Judicial District Court | Alleged Breach of Fiduciary Duties
Litigation [Line Items]
Number of actions filed | claim			4
Actions filed in the Civil District Court | Alleged Breach of Fiduciary Duties
Litigation [Line Items]
Number of actions filed | claim			3
Pending Litigation | Perry Bonin, Ace Chandler, and Michael Manuel, et al v. Sabine River Authority of Texas and Sabine River Authority of Louisiana, No. B-160173-C
Litigation [Line Items]
Number of generation units failed to repair | generation_unit																	1
Number of generating units owned | generation_unit																	2
Pending Litigation | Larry Addison, Et Al. V. Sabine River Authority Of Texas, Et Al
Litigation [Line Items]
Number of plaintiffs | plaintiff		26
NRG South Central
Litigation [Line Items]
Contingent liability									10,000,000					$ 10,000,000
Indemnification assets														$ 10,000,000
NRG South Central | Cleco Cajun
Litigation [Line Items]
Contingent liability									10,000,000
Indemnification assets									$ 10,000,000
Subsequent Event | CLECO POWER | MISO Transmission Rates
Litigation [Line Items]
Return on equity proposed/recommended	10.38%