Debt - Total Indebtedness (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020	Jul. 14, 2020
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Finance leases classified as long-term debt due within one year	$ (755)	$ (682)
Unamortized debt issuance costs	(13,200)	(13,400)
Total long-term debt and finance leases, net	3,390,033	3,165,387
Cleco Power
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total bonds	1,700,000	1,375,000
Barge lease obligations	14,562	15,244
Gross amount of long-term debt and finance leases	1,839,562	1,515,244
Long-term debt due within one year	(25,000)	0
Finance leases classified as long-term debt due within one year	(755)	(682)
Unamortized debt discount	(4,746)	(5,053)
Unamortized debt issuance costs	(8,207)	(7,252)
Unamortized debt issuance costs	(7,900)	(7,000)
Total long-term debt and finance leases, net	$ 1,800,854	1,502,257
Cleco Power | Senior notes, 2.94%, due 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	2.94%
Total bonds	$ 25,000	25,000
Cleco Power | Senior notes, 3.08%, due 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	3.08%
Total bonds	$ 100,000	100,000
Cleco Power | Senior notes, 3.17%, due 2024
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	3.17%
Total bonds	$ 50,000	50,000
Cleco Power | Senior notes, 3.68%, due 2025
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	3.68%
Total bonds	$ 75,000	75,000
Cleco Power | Senior notes, 3.47%, due 2026
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	3.47%
Total bonds	$ 130,000	130,000
Cleco Power | Senior notes, 4.33%, due 2027
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	4.33%
Total bonds	$ 50,000	50,000
Cleco Power | Senior notes, 3.57%, due 2028
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	3.57%
Total bonds	$ 200,000	200,000
Cleco Power | Senior notes, 6.50%, due 2035
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	6.50%
Total bonds	$ 295,000	295,000
Cleco Power | Senior notes, 6.00%, due 2040
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	6.00%
Total bonds	$ 250,000	250,000
Cleco Power | Senior notes, 5.12%, due 2041
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	5.12%
Total bonds	$ 100,000	100,000
Cleco Power | Senior notes, floating rate, due 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total bonds	$ 325,000	0
Cleco Power | Series A GO Zone bonds, 2.50%, due 2038, mandatory tender in 2025
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	2.50%
Total bonds	$ 50,000	50,000
Cleco Power | Series B GO Zone bonds, 4.25%, due 2038
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	4.25%
Total bonds	$ 50,000	50,000
Cleco Power | Bank term loan, variable rate, due 2024
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Bank term loan, variable rate, due 2024	125,000	125,000
Cleco Holdings
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt due within one year	(67,700)	(66,000)
Unamortized debt issuance costs	(10,200)	(11,700)
Unamortized debt issuance costs	(5,271)	(6,423)
Fair value adjustment	112,150	119,553
Deferred debt issuance costs eliminated as a result of the 2016 Merger	$ 4,900	5,300
Cleco Holdings | Senior notes, 3.250%, due 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	3.25%
Total bonds	$ 165,000	165,000
Cleco Holdings | Senior notes, 3.743%, due 2026
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	3.743%
Total bonds	$ 535,000	535,000
Cleco Holdings | Senior notes, 3.375%, due 2029
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	3.375%		3.375%
Total bonds	$ 300,000	300,000
Cleco Holdings | Senior notes, 4.973%, due 2046
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	4.973%
Total bonds	$ 350,000	350,000
Cleco Holdings | Bank term loan, variable rate, due 2024
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Bank term loan, variable rate, due 2024	$ 200,000	$ 266,000