Debt - Total Indebtedness (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Finance leases classified as long-term debt due within one year	$ (836)	$ (755)
Unamortized debt issuance costs	(16,200)	(13,200)
Total long-term debt and finance leases, net	3,139,094	3,390,033
Cleco Power
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total bonds	1,775,000	1,700,000
Barge lease obligations	13,807	14,562
Gross amount of long-term debt and finance leases	1,913,807	1,839,562
Long-term debt due within one year	(109,508)	(25,000)
Finance leases classified as long-term debt due within one year	(836)	(755)
Unamortized debt discount	(4,492)	(4,746)
Unamortized debt issuance costs	(12,524)	(8,207)
Unamortized debt issuance costs	(12,300)	(7,900)
Total long-term debt and finance leases, net	$ 1,786,447	1,800,854
Cleco Power | Senior notes, 2.94%, due 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	2.94%
Total bonds	$ 0	25,000
Cleco Power | Senior notes, 3.08%, due 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	3.08%
Total bonds	$ 100,000	100,000
Long-term debt due within one year	$ (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	$ 0	325,000
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 | Cleco Securitization I’s storm recovery bonds, 4.016%, due 2033
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	4.016%
Total bonds	$ 125,000	0
Cleco Power | Cleco Securitization I’s storm recovery bonds, 4.646%, due 2044
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	4.646%
Total bonds	$ 300,000	0
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	(230,524)	(67,700)
Unamortized debt issuance costs	(8,500)	(10,200)
Unamortized debt issuance costs	(3,877)	(5,271)
Fair value adjustment	104,748	112,150
Deferred debt issuance costs eliminated as a result of the 2016 Merger	$ 4,600	4,900
Cleco Holdings | Senior notes, 3.250%, due 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	3.25%
Total bonds	$ 165,000	165,000
Long-term debt due within one year	$ (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%
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	$ 132,300	$ 200,000