Revenue Recognition - Disaggregation of Revenue (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	$ 2,140,366	$ 1,666,839	$ 1,418,776
Total revenue unrelated to contracts with customers	98,766	79,090	79,370
Operating revenue, net	2,239,132	1,745,929	1,498,146
Electric customer credits	7,674	40,634	53,271
Deferred lease revenue amortization	9,205	9,205	9,205
Total retail revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	1,169,612	898,658	761,401
Residential
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	558,247	453,873	402,050
Commercial
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	370,678	294,553	256,964
Industrial
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	229,634	175,134	137,920
Other retail
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	18,727	16,105	14,235
Storm recovery surcharge
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers			2,440
Electric customer credits
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	(7,674)	(41,007)	(52,208)
Wholesale, net
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	818,268	639,534	548,062
Transmission
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	130,520	109,848	94,150
Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	21,966	18,799	15,163
Total revenue unrelated to contracts with customers	85,519	79,090	79,370
Affiliate
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0
Securitization
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue unrelated to contracts with customers	13,247
TOTAL SEGMENTS
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Operating revenue, net	2,265,393	1,768,856	1,519,645
Electric customer credits	7,674	40,634	53,272
TOTAL SEGMENTS | CLECO POWER
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	1,593,406	1,230,040	1,023,070
Total revenue unrelated to contracts with customers	27,122	11,597	9,222
Operating revenue, net	1,620,528	1,241,637	1,032,292
Electric customer credits	7,674	40,878	53,119
TOTAL SEGMENTS | CLECO POWER | Total retail revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	1,169,612	898,658	761,401
TOTAL SEGMENTS | CLECO POWER | Residential
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	558,247	453,873	402,050
TOTAL SEGMENTS | CLECO POWER | Commercial
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	370,678	294,553	256,964
TOTAL SEGMENTS | CLECO POWER | Industrial
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	229,634	175,134	137,920
TOTAL SEGMENTS | CLECO POWER | Other retail
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	18,727	16,105	14,235
TOTAL SEGMENTS | CLECO POWER | Storm recovery surcharge
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers			2,440
TOTAL SEGMENTS | CLECO POWER | Electric customer credits
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	(7,674)	(41,007)	(52,208)
TOTAL SEGMENTS | CLECO POWER | Wholesale, net
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	331,906	250,987	192,187
TOTAL SEGMENTS | CLECO POWER | Transmission
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	63,545	55,963	49,164
Electric customer credits		100	900
TOTAL SEGMENTS | CLECO POWER | Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	21,966	18,791	15,162
Total revenue unrelated to contracts with customers	13,875	11,597	9,222
TOTAL SEGMENTS | CLECO POWER | Affiliate
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	6,377	5,641	5,156
TOTAL SEGMENTS | CLECO POWER | Securitization
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue unrelated to contracts with customers	13,247
TOTAL SEGMENTS | CLECO CAJUN
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	573,229	459,726	417,208
Total revenue unrelated to contracts with customers	71,636	67,493	70,145
Operating revenue, net	644,865	527,219	487,353
Lease revenue	62,400	58,200	60,900
Deferred lease revenue amortization	9,200	9,200	9,200
TOTAL SEGMENTS | CLECO CAJUN | Total retail revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0
TOTAL SEGMENTS | CLECO CAJUN | Residential
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0
TOTAL SEGMENTS | CLECO CAJUN | Commercial
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0
TOTAL SEGMENTS | CLECO CAJUN | Industrial
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0
TOTAL SEGMENTS | CLECO CAJUN | Other retail
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0
TOTAL SEGMENTS | CLECO CAJUN | Storm recovery surcharge
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers			0
TOTAL SEGMENTS | CLECO CAJUN | Electric customer credits
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0
TOTAL SEGMENTS | CLECO CAJUN | Wholesale, net
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	496,042	398,226	365,555
Contract with customer, amortization	(14,400)	(13,500)	(12,400)
TOTAL SEGMENTS | CLECO CAJUN | Transmission
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	77,187	61,500	51,449
Electric customer credits		200	200
TOTAL SEGMENTS | CLECO CAJUN | Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0
Total revenue unrelated to contracts with customers	71,636	67,493	70,145
TOTAL SEGMENTS | CLECO CAJUN | Affiliate
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	204
TOTAL SEGMENTS | CLECO CAJUN | Securitization
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue unrelated to contracts with customers	0
OTHER
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	99,335	103,951	119,446
Total revenue unrelated to contracts with customers	9	0	3
Operating revenue, net	99,344	103,951	119,449
Electric customer credits	0	0	0
OTHER | Total retail revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0
OTHER | Residential
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0
OTHER | Commercial
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0
OTHER | Industrial
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0
OTHER | Other retail
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0
OTHER | Storm recovery surcharge
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers			0
OTHER | Electric customer credits
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0
OTHER | Wholesale, net
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	(9,680)	(9,680)	(9,680)
OTHER | Transmission
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0
OTHER | Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0	8	0
Total revenue unrelated to contracts with customers	9	0	3
OTHER | Affiliate
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	109,015	113,623	129,126
OTHER | Securitization
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue unrelated to contracts with customers	0
ELIMINATIONS
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	(125,604)	(126,878)	(140,948)
Total revenue unrelated to contracts with customers	(1)	0	0
Operating revenue, net	(125,605)	(126,878)	(140,948)
Electric customer credits	0	0	(1)
ELIMINATIONS | Total retail revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0
ELIMINATIONS | Residential
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0
ELIMINATIONS | Commercial
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0
ELIMINATIONS | Industrial
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0
ELIMINATIONS | Other retail
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0
ELIMINATIONS | Storm recovery surcharge
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers			0
ELIMINATIONS | Electric customer credits
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	0
ELIMINATIONS | Wholesale, net
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0	1	0
ELIMINATIONS | Transmission
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	(10,212)	(7,615)	(6,463)
ELIMINATIONS | Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	0	0	1
Total revenue unrelated to contracts with customers	(1)	0	0
ELIMINATIONS | Affiliate
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue from contracts with customers	(115,392)	$ (119,264)	$ (134,486)
ELIMINATIONS | Securitization
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue unrelated to contracts with customers	$ 0