| Schedule of Quarterly Financial Information [Table Text Block] |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | First Quarter | | Second Quarter | | Third Quarter | | Fourth Quarter | | Total Year | | (in thousands, except per common share and stock price data) | 2014 | | | | | | | | | | Statement of operations data: | | | | | | | | | | Revenues | $ | 474,795 |
| | $ | 489,353 |
| | $ | 496,454 |
| | $ | 510,095 |
| | $ | 1,970,697 |
| Gross profit | 154,535 |
| | 163,041 |
| | 150,762 |
| | 154,787 |
| | 623,125 |
| Net income (loss) attributable to Itron, Inc. | (254 | ) | | 19,259 |
| | 7,308 |
| | (49,233 | ) | | (22,920 | ) | | | | | | | | | | | Earnings (loss) per common share - Basic | $ | (0.01 | ) | | $ | 0.49 |
| | $ | 0.19 |
| | $ | (1.25 | ) | | $ | (0.58 | ) | Earnings (loss) per common share - Diluted | $ | (0.01 | ) | | $ | 0.49 |
| | $ | 0.19 |
| | $ | (1.25 | ) | | $ | (0.58 | ) | | | | | | | | | | | 2013 | | | | | | | | | | Statement of operations data: | | | | | | | | | | Revenues | $ | 447,536 |
| | $ | 482,175 |
| | $ | 495,491 |
| | $ | 523,526 |
| | $ | 1,948,728 |
| Gross profit | 140,123 |
| | 159,588 |
| | 150,084 |
| | 164,738 |
| | 614,533 |
| Net income (loss) attributable to Itron, Inc. | 2,570 |
| | 12,399 |
| | (7,348 | ) | | (154,430 | ) | | (146,809 | ) | | | | | | | | | | | Earnings (loss) per common share - Basic | $ | 0.07 |
| | $ | 0.31 |
| | $ | (0.19 | ) | | $ | (3.93 | ) | | $ | (3.74 | ) | Earnings (loss) per common share - Diluted | $ | 0.06 |
| | $ | 0.31 |
| | $ | (0.19 | ) | | $ | (3.93 | ) | | $ | (3.74 | ) |
|