Revenue Recognition - Disaggregation of Revenue (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	$ 1,666,839	$ 1,418,776	$ 1,561,424
Total revenue from contracts with customers
Other	79,090	79,370	78,181
Total revenue unrelated to contracts with customers	79,090	79,370	78,181
Operating revenue, net	1,745,929	1,498,146	1,639,605
Electric customer credits	40,634	53,271	39,963
Sales-type lease, lease income	67,431	70,088
Recognition of deferred lease income	9,205	9,205	8,439
TOTAL SEGMENTS
Total revenue from contracts with customers
Operating revenue, net	1,768,856	1,519,645	1,659,988
Electric customer credits	40,634	53,272	39,963
OTHER
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	103,951	119,446	99,389
Total revenue from contracts with customers
Other	0	3	0
Total revenue unrelated to contracts with customers	0	3	0
Operating revenue, net	103,951	119,449	99,389
Electric customer credits	0	0	0
ELIMINATIONS
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	(126,878)	(140,948)	(119,772)
Total revenue from contracts with customers
Other	0	0	0
Total revenue unrelated to contracts with customers	0	0	0
Operating revenue, net	(126,878)	(140,948)	(119,772)
Electric customer credits	0	(1)	0
Total retail revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	898,658	761,401	855,448
Total retail revenue | OTHER
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0
Total retail revenue | ELIMINATIONS
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0
Residential
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	453,873	402,050	415,242
Residential | OTHER
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0
Residential | ELIMINATIONS
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0
Commercial
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	294,553	256,964	289,197
Commercial | OTHER
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0
Commercial | ELIMINATIONS
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0
Industrial
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	175,134	137,920	149,711
Industrial | OTHER
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0
Industrial | ELIMINATIONS
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0
Other retail
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	16,105	14,235	15,046
Other retail | OTHER
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0
Other retail | ELIMINATIONS
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0
Surcharge
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		2,440	22,132
Surcharge | OTHER
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		0	0
Surcharge | ELIMINATIONS
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		0	0
Electric customer credits
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	(41,007)	(52,208)	(35,880)
Electric customer credits | OTHER
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0
Electric customer credits | ELIMINATIONS
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0
Wholesale, net
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	639,534	548,062	591,932
Wholesale, net | OTHER
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	(9,680)	(9,680)	(9,680)
Wholesale, net | ELIMINATIONS
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	1	0	(1)
Transmission, net
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	109,848	94,150	94,718
Transmission, net | OTHER
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0
Transmission, net | ELIMINATIONS
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	(7,615)	(6,463)	(7,471)
Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	18,799	15,163	19,326
Other | OTHER
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	8	0	2
Other | ELIMINATIONS
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	0	1	0
Affiliate
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0
Affiliate | OTHER
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	113,623	129,126	109,067
Affiliate | ELIMINATIONS
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	(119,264)	(134,486)	(112,300)
CLECO POWER | Price risk derivatives
Total revenue from contracts with customers
Other			12,400
CLECO POWER | TOTAL SEGMENTS
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	1,230,040	1,023,070	1,155,749
Total revenue from contracts with customers
Other	11,597	9,222	12,621
Total revenue unrelated to contracts with customers	11,597	9,222	12,621
Operating revenue, net	1,241,637	1,032,292	1,168,370
Electric customer credits	40,878	53,119	38,516
CLECO POWER | Total retail revenue | TOTAL SEGMENTS
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	898,658	761,401	855,448
CLECO POWER | Residential | TOTAL SEGMENTS
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	453,873	402,050	415,242
CLECO POWER | Commercial | TOTAL SEGMENTS
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	294,553	256,964	289,197
CLECO POWER | Industrial | TOTAL SEGMENTS
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	175,134	137,920	149,711
CLECO POWER | Other retail | TOTAL SEGMENTS
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	16,105	14,235	15,046
CLECO POWER | Surcharge | TOTAL SEGMENTS
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		2,440	22,132
CLECO POWER | Electric customer credits | TOTAL SEGMENTS
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	(41,007)	(52,208)	(35,880)
CLECO POWER | Wholesale, net | TOTAL SEGMENTS
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	250,987	192,187	226,978
CLECO POWER | Transmission, net | TOTAL SEGMENTS
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	55,963	49,164	50,874
Total revenue from contracts with customers
Electric customer credits	(100)	900	2,600
CLECO POWER | Other | SSR
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers			3,200
CLECO POWER | Other | TOTAL SEGMENTS
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	18,791	15,162	19,324
Total revenue from contracts with customers
Other miscellaneous fee revenue			16,100
CLECO POWER | Affiliate | TOTAL SEGMENTS
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	5,641	5,156	3,125
CLECO POWER | Lost contribution to fixed cost
Total revenue from contracts with customers
Other			200
CLECO CAJUN
Total revenue from contracts with customers
Sales-type lease, lease income			57,100
Recognition of deferred lease income	9,200	9,200	8,400
CLECO CAJUN | TOTAL SEGMENTS
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	459,726	417,208	426,058
Total revenue from contracts with customers
Other	67,493	70,145	65,560
Total revenue unrelated to contracts with customers	67,493	70,145	65,560
Operating revenue, net	527,219	487,353	491,618
Sales-type lease, lease income	58,200	60,900
CLECO CAJUN | Total retail revenue | TOTAL SEGMENTS
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0
CLECO CAJUN | Residential | TOTAL SEGMENTS
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0
CLECO CAJUN | Commercial | TOTAL SEGMENTS
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0
CLECO CAJUN | Industrial | TOTAL SEGMENTS
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0
CLECO CAJUN | Other retail | TOTAL SEGMENTS
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0
CLECO CAJUN | Surcharge | TOTAL SEGMENTS
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		0	0
CLECO CAJUN | Electric customer credits | TOTAL SEGMENTS
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0
CLECO CAJUN | Wholesale, net | TOTAL SEGMENTS
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	398,226	365,555	374,635
Total revenue from contracts with customers
Electric customer credits			800
CLECO CAJUN | Transmission, net | TOTAL SEGMENTS
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	61,500	51,449	51,315
Total revenue from contracts with customers
Electric customer credits	(200)	200	700
CLECO CAJUN | Other | TOTAL SEGMENTS
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0
CLECO CAJUN | Affiliate | TOTAL SEGMENTS
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	$ 0	$ 204	$ 108