Disclosures about Segments (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2019
Revenue
Electric operations	$ 321,956	$ 365,466	$ 633,113	$ 678,416
Other operations	44,902	42,367	89,810	81,764
Affiliate revenue	0	0	0	0
Electric customer credits	(9,100)	(9,960)	(17,593)	(18,120)
Operating revenue, net	357,758	397,873	705,330	742,060
Net income	43,168	44,746	49,496	65,303
Depreciation and amortization	57,304	54,088	116,393	107,484
Interest income	898	1,275	2,054	2,767
Interest charges	34,715	35,840	69,863	69,839
Federal and state income tax expense (benefit)	(13,593)	(12,281)	(15,155)	(18,267)
Other corporate costs and noncash items	(4,326)	342	7,887	1,996
EBITDA	143,556	146,022	256,740	260,122
Additions to property, plant, and equipment			139,339	151,463
Equity investment in investees	17,072		17,072		$ 17,072
Goodwill	1,490,797		1,490,797		1,490,797
Total assets	7,729,180		7,729,180		7,476,298
CLECO POWER
Revenue
Electric operations	239,643	265,924	464,073	523,100
Other operations	15,904	15,404	31,668	34,833
Affiliate revenue	1,240	337	2,346	637
Electric customer credits	(9,100)	(8,693)	(17,440)	(16,853)
Operating revenue, net	247,687	272,972	480,647	541,717
Net income	28,233	49,356	40,064	76,068
Interest income	755	867	1,709	1,860
Interest charges	18,603	17,370	37,184	34,515
Federal and state income tax expense (benefit)	(9,356)	(13,978)	(12,694)	(21,976)
Additions to property, plant, and equipment			132,578	147,696
Equity investment in investees	17,072		17,072		17,072
Total assets	4,644,564		4,644,564		4,476,530
Power supply agreements
Revenue
Amortization of intangible assets	6,400	6,208	12,800	11,399
OPERATING SEGMENTS
Revenue
Electric operations	324,376	367,886	637,953	683,256
Other operations	46,540	45,321	93,265	84,716
Affiliate revenue	1,283	337	2,550	637
Electric customer credits	(9,100)	(9,960)	(17,593)	(18,120)
Operating revenue, net	363,099	403,584	716,175	750,489
Net income	54,995	62,282	86,362	100,050
Depreciation and amortization	52,739	49,599	107,314	98,506
Interest income	858	1,235	1,967	2,482
Interest charges	18,723	17,370	37,315	34,515
Federal and state income tax expense (benefit)	(17,957)	(18,006)	(27,716)	(29,533)
EBITDA	143,556	146,022	256,740	260,122
Additions to property, plant, and equipment			137,995	150,368
Equity investment in investees	17,072		17,072		17,072
Goodwill	1,490,797		1,490,797		1,490,797
Total assets	7,164,331		7,164,331		6,978,918
OPERATING SEGMENTS | CLECO POWER
Revenue
Electric operations	239,643	265,924	464,073	523,100
Other operations	15,904	15,404	31,668	34,833
Affiliate revenue	1,240	337	2,346	637
Electric customer credits	(9,100)	(8,693)	(17,440)	(16,853)
Operating revenue, net	247,687	272,972	480,647	541,717
Net income	28,233	49,356	40,064	76,068
Depreciation and amortization	41,596	39,330	85,273	81,707
Interest income	755	867	1,709	1,860
Interest charges	18,603	17,370	37,184	34,515
Federal and state income tax expense (benefit)	(9,356)	(13,978)	(12,694)	(21,976)
EBITDA	97,033	119,167	173,506	212,406
Additions to property, plant, and equipment			132,578	147,696
Equity investment in investees	17,072		17,072		17,072
Goodwill	1,490,797		1,490,797		1,490,797
Total assets	6,135,361		6,135,361		5,967,327
OPERATING SEGMENTS | CLECO CAJUN
Revenue
Electric operations	84,733	101,962	173,880	160,156
Other operations	30,636	29,917	61,597	49,883
Affiliate revenue	43	0	204	0
Electric customer credits	0	(1,267)	(153)	(1,267)
Operating revenue, net	115,412	130,612	235,528	208,772
Net income	26,762	12,926	46,298	23,982
Depreciation and amortization	11,143	10,269	22,041	16,799
Interest income	103	368	258	622
Interest charges	120	0	131	0
Federal and state income tax expense (benefit)	(8,601)	(4,028)	(15,022)	(7,557)
EBITDA	46,523	26,855	83,234	47,716
Additions to property, plant, and equipment			5,417	2,672
Equity investment in investees	0		0		0
Goodwill	0		0		0
Total assets	1,028,970		1,028,970		1,011,591
Amortization of deferred lease income	2,300	2,400	4,600	3,800
OPERATING SEGMENTS | CLECO CAJUN | Power supply agreements
Revenue
Amortization of intangible assets and liabilities	3,100	2,500	6,200	5,100
OTHER
Revenue
Electric operations	(2,420)	(2,420)	(4,840)	(4,840)
Other operations	1	0	1	2
Affiliate revenue	29,138	23,012	58,415	49,547
Electric customer credits	0	0	0	0
Operating revenue, net	26,719	20,592	53,576	44,709
Net income	(11,826)	(17,537)	(36,865)	(34,747)
Depreciation and amortization	4,565	4,490	9,079	8,979
Interest income	55	197	155	614
Interest charges	16,007	18,626	32,617	35,654
Federal and state income tax expense (benefit)	4,364	5,725	12,561	11,265
Additions to property, plant, and equipment			1,344	1,095
Equity investment in investees	0		0		0
Goodwill	0		0		0
Total assets	609,159		609,159		546,096
OTHER | Power supply agreements | CLECO POWER
Revenue
Amortization of intangible assets	2,400	2,400	4,800	4,800
ELIMINATIONS
Revenue
Electric operations	0	0	0	0
Other operations	(1,639)	(2,954)	(3,456)	(2,954)
Affiliate revenue	(30,421)	(23,349)	(60,965)	(50,184)
Electric customer credits	0	0	0	0
Operating revenue, net	(32,060)	(26,303)	(64,421)	(53,138)
Net income	(1)	1	(1)	0
Depreciation and amortization	0	(1)	0	(1)
Interest income	(15)	(157)	(68)	(329)
Interest charges	(15)	(156)	(69)	(330)
Federal and state income tax expense (benefit)	0	$ 0	0	1
Additions to property, plant, and equipment			0	$ 0
Equity investment in investees	0		0		0
Goodwill	0		0		0
Total assets	$ (44,310)		$ (44,310)		$ (48,716)