Revenue Recognition - Disaggregation of Revenue (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2022	Sep. 30, 2021	Sep. 30, 2022	Sep. 30, 2021
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	$ 650,682	$ 498,845	$ 1,601,808	$ 1,228,618
Revenue unrelated to contracts with customers
Other	23,861	18,349	67,335	62,319
Total revenue unrelated to contracts with customers	23,861	18,349	67,335	62,319
Operating revenue, net	674,543	517,194	1,669,143	1,290,937
Electric customer credits	6,728	691	6,992	40,185
Deferred lease amortization			6,904	6,904
Total retail revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	371,195	280,394	880,925	653,675
Residential
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	190,023	148,522	434,259	348,918
Commercial
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	113,176	82,711	274,046	214,129
Industrial
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	64,486	45,446	160,948	119,497
Other retail
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	5,213	4,479	13,639	11,925
Storm recovery surcharge
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	5,025		5,025
Electric customer credits
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	(6,728)	(764)	(6,992)	(40,794)
Wholesale, net
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	236,280	179,912	608,460	475,924
Transmission, net
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	37,113	32,921	96,137	85,511
Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	6,094	5,618	16,286	13,508
Affiliate
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0	0
OPERATING SEGMENTS
Revenue unrelated to contracts with customers
Operating revenue, net	681,179	523,210	1,688,530	1,308,205
Electric customer credits	6,728	691	6,992	40,185
OPERATING SEGMENTS | CLECO POWER
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	495,543	379,458	1,193,429	898,742
Revenue unrelated to contracts with customers
Other	5,296	1,094	12,715	9,953
Total revenue unrelated to contracts with customers	5,296	1,094	12,715	9,953
Operating revenue, net	500,839	380,552	1,206,144	908,695
Electric customer credits	6,728	691	6,992	40,429
OPERATING SEGMENTS | CLECO POWER | Total retail revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	371,195	280,394	880,925	653,675
OPERATING SEGMENTS | CLECO POWER | Residential
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	190,023	148,522	434,259	348,918
OPERATING SEGMENTS | CLECO POWER | Commercial
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	113,176	82,711	274,046	214,129
OPERATING SEGMENTS | CLECO POWER | Industrial
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	64,486	45,446	160,948	119,497
OPERATING SEGMENTS | CLECO POWER | Other retail
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	5,213	4,479	13,639	11,925
OPERATING SEGMENTS | CLECO POWER | Storm recovery surcharge
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	5,025		5,025
OPERATING SEGMENTS | CLECO POWER | Electric customer credits
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	(6,728)	(764)	(6,992)	(40,794)
OPERATING SEGMENTS | CLECO POWER | Wholesale, net
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	97,933	74,831	245,231	182,769
OPERATING SEGMENTS | CLECO POWER | Transmission, net
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	18,664	17,235	46,244	44,530
Revenue unrelated to contracts with customers
Electric customer credits		100		400
OPERATING SEGMENTS | CLECO POWER | Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	6,094	5,618	16,285	13,509
OPERATING SEGMENTS | CLECO POWER | Affiliate
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	1,657	1,380	4,744	4,259
OPERATING SEGMENTS | CLECO CAJUN
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	161,776	125,404	427,770	347,148
Revenue unrelated to contracts with customers
Other	18,564	17,254	54,616	52,362
Total revenue unrelated to contracts with customers	18,564	17,254	54,616	52,362
Operating revenue, net	180,340	142,658	482,386	399,510
Electric customer credits	0	0	0	(244)
Lease revenue	16,200	14,900	47,700	45,400
Deferred lease amortization	2,300	2,300	6,900	6,900
OPERATING SEGMENTS | CLECO CAJUN | Total retail revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0	0
OPERATING SEGMENTS | CLECO CAJUN | Residential
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0	0
OPERATING SEGMENTS | CLECO CAJUN | Commercial
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0	0
OPERATING SEGMENTS | CLECO CAJUN | Industrial
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0	0
OPERATING SEGMENTS | CLECO CAJUN | Other retail
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0	0
OPERATING SEGMENTS | CLECO CAJUN | Storm recovery surcharge
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0		0
OPERATING SEGMENTS | CLECO CAJUN | Electric customer credits
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0	0
OPERATING SEGMENTS | CLECO CAJUN | Wholesale, net
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	140,767	107,501	370,489	300,415
Revenue unrelated to contracts with customers
Contract with customer, amortization	(3,600)	(3,600)	(10,800)	(10,000)
OPERATING SEGMENTS | CLECO CAJUN | Transmission, net
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	21,009	17,903	57,281	46,733
Revenue unrelated to contracts with customers
Electric customer credits				200
OPERATING SEGMENTS | CLECO CAJUN | Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0	0
OPERATING SEGMENTS | CLECO CAJUN | Affiliate
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0	0
OTHER
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	27,163	29,696	75,469	78,132
Revenue unrelated to contracts with customers
Other	1	1	4	4
Total revenue unrelated to contracts with customers	1	1	4	4
Operating revenue, net	27,164	29,697	75,473	78,136
Electric customer credits	0	0	0	0
OTHER | Total retail revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0	0
OTHER | Residential
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0	0
OTHER | Commercial
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0	0
OTHER | Industrial
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0	0
OTHER | Other retail
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0	0
OTHER | Storm recovery surcharge
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0		0
OTHER | Electric customer credits
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0	0
OTHER | Wholesale, net
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	(2,420)	(2,420)	(7,260)	(7,260)
OTHER | Transmission, net
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0	0
OTHER | Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	1	0
OTHER | Affiliate
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	29,583	32,116	82,728	85,392
ELIMINATIONS
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	(33,800)	(35,713)	(94,860)	(95,404)
Revenue unrelated to contracts with customers
Other	0	0	0	0
Total revenue unrelated to contracts with customers	0	0	0	0
Operating revenue, net	(33,800)	(35,713)	(94,860)	(95,404)
Electric customer credits	0	0	0	0
ELIMINATIONS | Total retail revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0	0
ELIMINATIONS | Residential
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0	0
ELIMINATIONS | Commercial
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0	0
ELIMINATIONS | Industrial
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0	0
ELIMINATIONS | Other retail
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0	0
ELIMINATIONS | Storm recovery surcharge
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0		0
ELIMINATIONS | Electric customer credits
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0	0
ELIMINATIONS | Wholesale, net
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0	0
ELIMINATIONS | Transmission, net
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	(2,560)	(2,217)	(7,388)	(5,752)
ELIMINATIONS | Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0	(1)
ELIMINATIONS | Affiliate
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	$ (31,240)	$ (33,496)	$ (87,472)	$ (89,651)