Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Property, Plant, and Equipment (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Public Utility, Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Capitalized software, net	$ 172,700	$ 178,100
Capitalized software costs, amortization	11,878	11,015	$ 4,917
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net
Generation	2,704,536	2,915,349
Distribution	1,494,411	1,357,714
Transmission	797,694	667,398
Other utility plant	412,577	391,057
Other property, plant, and equipment	7,504	5,672
Total property, plant, and equipment	5,416,722	5,337,190
Accumulated depreciation	(700,991)	(672,271)
Net property, plant, and equipment	4,715,731	4,664,919
Acadia Unit 1 acquisition costs
Plant Acquisition Adjustments
Plant acquisition adjustment	76,116	76,116
Accumulated amortization	(18,201)	(15,018)
Net plant acquisition adjustment	$ 57,915	61,098
MINIMUM
Utility Plants
Generation	10 years
Distribution	15 years
Transmission	5 years
Other utility plant	5 years
Other property, plant, and equipment	5 years
MAXIMUM
Utility Plants
Generation	95 years
Distribution	50 years
Transmission	55 years
Other utility plant	45 years
Other property, plant, and equipment	45 years
CLECO POWER
Public Utility, Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Capitalized software, net	$ 167,400	177,000
Capitalized software costs, amortization	11,268	10,379	$ 4,321
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net
Generation	2,314,285	2,673,271
Distribution	1,933,389	1,796,841
Transmission	988,122	857,833
Other utility plant	509,693	496,433
Total property, plant, and equipment	5,745,489	5,824,378
Accumulated depreciation	(1,919,766)	(2,067,362)
Net property, plant, and equipment	3,825,723	3,757,016
CLECO POWER | Acadia Unit 1 acquisition costs
Plant Acquisition Adjustments
Plant acquisition adjustment	95,578	95,578
Accumulated amortization	(37,663)	(34,480)
Net plant acquisition adjustment	$ 57,915	$ 61,098
CLECO POWER | MINIMUM
Utility Plants
Generation	10 years
Distribution	15 years
Transmission	5 years
Other utility plant	5 years
Other property, plant, and equipment	5 years
CLECO POWER | MAXIMUM
Utility Plants
Generation	95 years
Distribution	50 years
Transmission	55 years
Other utility plant	45 years
Other property, plant, and equipment	45 years