Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents [Abstract]
Current	$ 1,674	$ 4,545
Non-current	745	744
Total restricted cash and cash equivalents	2,419	5,289
Cleco Katrina/Rita’s storm recovery surcharge
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents [Abstract]
Current	1,674	2,626
Cleco Power’s charitable contributions
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents [Abstract]
Current	0	1,718
Cleco Power’s rate credit escrow
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents [Abstract]
Current	0	201
Diversified Lands’ mitigation escrow
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents [Abstract]
Non-current	22	22
Cleco Cajun’s defense fund
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents [Abstract]
Non-current	723	722
CLECO POWER
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents [Abstract]
Current	1,674	4,545
Total restricted cash and cash equivalents	1,674	4,545
CLECO POWER \| Cleco Katrina/Rita’s storm recovery surcharge
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents [Abstract]
Current	1,674	2,626
CLECO POWER \| Cleco Power’s charitable contributions
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents [Abstract]
Current	0	1,718
CLECO POWER \| Cleco Power’s rate credit escrow
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents [Abstract]
Current	$ 0	$ 201

Amount of cash and cash equivalents restricted as to withdrawal or usage. Cash includes, but is not limited to, currency on hand, demand deposits with banks or financial institutions, and other accounts with general characteristics of demand deposits. Cash equivalents include, but are not limited to, short-term, highly liquid investments that are both readily convertible to known amounts of cash and so near their maturity that they present insignificant risk of changes in value because of changes in interest rates.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(a)(2))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120400017&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(1))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123431023&loc=SL98516268-108586

Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(1)(a))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120398452&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 5: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 4
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123570139&loc=d3e3044-108585

Name:	us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalents
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant