Pension Plan and Employee Benefits - Narrative (Details)		1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 04, 2020 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2021 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($) bonus shares	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 officer
U.S. Equity Portfolios
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Maximum percentage of equity holdings in portfolio				10.00%
Minimum number of stocks to be owned per portfolio (in shares) | shares				25
International Equity - Developed Markets Portfolios
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Maximum percentage of equity holdings in portfolio				5.00%
Minimum number of stocks to be owned per portfolio (in shares) | shares				30
Emerging Markets Portfolios
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Maximum percentage of equity holdings in portfolio				10.00%
Minimum number of stocks to be owned per portfolio (in shares) | shares				30
PENSION BENEFITS
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Consecutive calendar years				5 years
Most recent period of employment				10 years
Employer contributions	$ 15,800,000	$ 12,300,000		$ 15,750,000	$ 12,250,000
Estimated pension contributions required through 2025				$ 53,500,000
Defined benefit plan, interest crediting rate				3.15%	3.65%
Net actuarial gain (loss) occurring during the period				$ (30,126,000)	$ (19,075,000)
Net periodic benefit cost				$ 21,894,000	$ 12,175,000	$ 18,835,000
Expected return on plan assets				5.91%	6.55%	5.86%
Actual return on plan assets				15.89%	22.17%
OTHER BENEFITS
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Employer contributions				$ 0	$ 0
Net actuarial gain (loss) occurring during the period				(4,221,000)	(13,897,000)
Net periodic benefit cost				5,193,000	$ 2,858,000	$ 2,920,000
Assets set aside in a trust				$ 0
Assumed health care cost trend rates for next fiscal year				5.00%	5.00%
Ultimate health care trend rate				5.00%
SERP BENEFITS
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Consecutive calendar years				5 years
Most recent period of employment				60 months
Net actuarial gain (loss) occurring during the period				$ (9,621,000)	$ (11,608,000)
Net periodic benefit cost				$ 6,302,000	5,040,000	6,372,000
Number of highest cash bonuses | bonus				5
Number of executive officers with capped benefits | officer							2
CLECO POWER | PENSION BENEFITS
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Employer contributions				$ 67,000,000.0
CLECO POWER | OTHER BENEFITS
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Net periodic benefit cost				4,800,000	3,100,000	3,300,000
CLECO POWER | SERP BENEFITS
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Net periodic benefit cost				1,000,000.0	800,000	1,400,000
Support Group | PENSION BENEFITS
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Net periodic benefit cost				$ 3,500,000	$ 2,200,000	$ 2,000,000.0
Forecast [Member] | PENSION BENEFITS
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Expected return on plan assets			5.00%
Increase in expected pension costs			$ 2,900,000