Income Taxes - Effective Tax Rate Reconciliation (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Effective Income Tax Rate [Line Items]
Income before tax	$ 208,077	$ 158,018	$ 195,830
Statutory rate	21.00%	21.00%	21.00%
Tax expense at federal statutory rate	$ 43,696	$ 33,184	$ 41,124
Increase (decrease)
Plant differences, including AFUDC flowthrough	(356)	5,100	(4,687)
State income taxes, net of federal benefit	9,619	7,190	9,565
Return to accrual adjustment	(3,862)	7,218	(3,963)
Amortization of excess ADIT	(37,254)	(16,667)	0
Other, net	1,268	(307)	1,126
Total tax expense	$ 13,111	$ 35,718	$ 43,165
Effective rate	6.30%	22.60%	22.00%
CLECO POWER
Effective Income Tax Rate [Line Items]
Income before tax	$ 124,735	$ 123,454	$ 193,714
Statutory rate	21.00%	21.00%	21.00%
Tax expense at federal statutory rate	$ 26,194	$ 25,925	$ 40,680
Increase (decrease)
Plant differences, including AFUDC flowthrough	(356)	5,100	(4,687)
State income taxes, net of federal benefit	6,343	6,303	11,683
Return to accrual adjustment	(3,831)	7,082	(2,008)
Amortization of excess ADIT	(37,254)	(16,667)	0
Other, net	(449)	(944)	(216)
Total tax expense	$ (9,353)	$ 26,799	$ 45,452
Effective rate	(7.50%)	21.70%	23.50%