Financial instruments - Effects on Statement of Operations of Derivative Financial Instruments Not Designated as Hedges (Detail) - CAD CAD in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Fair Value of Financial Instruments [Line Items]
Total change in unrealized gain on derivative financial instruments	CAD 1,764	CAD (18,689)
Total realized loss (gain) on derivative financial instruments	16,845	(3,289)
Ineffective portion of derivative financial instruments accounted for as hedges	30	47
Gain on derivative financial instruments	(2,626)	(15,849)
Gain (loss) on derivative instruments	14,219	(19,138)
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument
Fair Value of Financial Instruments [Line Items]
Total change in unrealized gain on derivative financial instruments	(3,536)	(20,236)
Total realized loss (gain) on derivative financial instruments	16,950	(420)
Loss (gain) on derivative financial instruments not accounted for as hedges	13,414	(20,656)
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument \| Interest rate swaps
Fair Value of Financial Instruments [Line Items]
Total realized loss (gain) on derivative financial instruments	(193)	0
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument \| Energy derivative contracts
Fair Value of Financial Instruments [Line Items]
Total change in unrealized gain on derivative financial instruments	(52)	(426)
Total realized loss (gain) on derivative financial instruments	730	951
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument \| Foreign exchange forward
Fair Value of Financial Instruments [Line Items]
Total change in unrealized gain on derivative financial instruments	432	(19,810)
Total realized loss (gain) on derivative financial instruments	16,413	(1,371)
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument \| Commodity contracts
Fair Value of Financial Instruments [Line Items]
Total change in unrealized gain on derivative financial instruments	(3,916)	0
Designated as Hedging Instrument
Fair Value of Financial Instruments [Line Items]
Ineffective portion of derivative financial instruments accounted for as hedges	CAD 805	CAD 1,518

Fair Value of Financial Instruments [Line Items]

No definition available.

Name:	aqunf_FairValueOfFinancialInstrumentsLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	aqunf_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of increase (decrease) in the fair value of derivatives recognized in the income statement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4A
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84234895&loc=SL5618551-113959

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4C
-Subparagraph (a),(c),(d),(e)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84234895&loc=SL5624171-113959

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeGainLossOnDerivativeNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The portion of gains and losses (net) on derivative instruments designated and qualifying as hedging instruments representing (a) the amount of the hedge ineffectiveness and (b) the amount, if any, excluded from the assessment of hedge effectiveness.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4C
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84234895&loc=SL5624171-113959

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 25
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)(1),(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6886632&loc=d3e76258-113986

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossRecognizedInIncomeIneffectivePortionAndAmountExcludedFromEffectivenessTestingNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of realized and unrealized gain (loss) of derivative instruments not designated or qualifying as hedging instruments.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsNotDesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentsGainLossNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Aggregate net gain (loss) on all derivative instruments recognized in earnings during the period, before tax effects.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GainLossOnDerivativeInstrumentsNetPretax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Gain (loss) incurred in hedging activities.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GainLossOnOilAndGasHedgingActivity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The net change in the difference between the fair value and the carrying value, or in the comparative fair values, of derivative instruments, including options, swaps, futures, and forward contracts, held at each balance sheet date, that was included in earnings for the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98514028&loc=d3e3602-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_UnrealizedGainLossOnDerivatives
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis=us-gaap_NondesignatedMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_EnergyRelatedDerivativeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_ForeignExchangeForwardMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_CommodityContractMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis=us-gaap_DesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: