Schedule I Financial Statements of Cleco Holdings (Parent Company Only) - Condensed Balance Sheets (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 84,976	$ 116,292
Other accounts receivable	32,076	35,731
Cash surrender value of trust-owned life insurance policies	89,138	86,096
Total current assets	664,892	638,075
Equity investment in subsidiaries	9,072	17,072	$ 18,172
Other deferred charges	40,100	39,668
Total assets	7,725,569	7,476,298	6,436,814
Current liabilities
Accounts payable	161,357	158,863
Accounts payable - affiliate	41,283	33,780
Interest accrued	15,583	19,001
Deferred compensation	13,240	12,115
Other current liabilities	49,813	44,683
Total current liabilities	524,612	511,339
Postretirement benefit obligations	314,653	283,075
Other deferred credits	28,627	27,222
Total liabilities	4,968,546	4,833,292
Commitments and contingencies (Note 6)
Member’s equity
Member’s equity	2,757,023	2,643,006	$ 2,124,740	$ 2,096,357
Total liabilities and member’s equity	7,725,569	7,476,298
Cleco Holdings
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	21,622	15,008
Accounts receivable - affiliate	75,948	14,231
Other accounts receivable	599	2,650
Taxes receivable, net	4,196	6,726
Cash surrender value of trust-owned life insurance policies	72,954	68,523
Total current assets	175,319	107,138
Equity investment in subsidiaries	4,181,383	4,150,953
Accumulated deferred federal and state income taxes, net	134,809	127,655
Other deferred charges	812	1,831
Total assets	4,492,323	4,387,577
Current liabilities
Long-term debt due within one year	66,000	63,300
Accounts payable	735	1,448
Accounts payable - affiliate	99,822	47,184
Interest accrued	10,158	11,005
Deferred compensation	13,240	12,115
Other current liabilities	756	274
Total current liabilities	190,711	135,326
Postretirement benefit obligations	4,453	4,481
Other deferred credits	1,813	0
Long-term debt, net	1,538,323	1,604,764
Total liabilities	1,735,300	1,744,571
Commitments and contingencies (Note 6)
Member’s equity
Member’s equity	2,757,023	2,643,006
Total liabilities and member’s equity	$ 4,492,323	$ 4,387,577