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Long-term investments - Additional Information (Detail) |  |  |  | 12 Months Ended |  |  |  |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Nov. 28, 2018 USD ($) | Nov. 27, 2018 USD ($) $ / shares | Mar. 09, 2018 USD ($) $ / shares | Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) shareholder MW | Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) | Jan. 01, 2019 USD ($) km | Jun. 30, 2018 USD ($) | May 10, 2017 USD ($) | Mar. 14, 2017
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Dividend income |  |  |  | $ 41,079,000 | $ 1,167,000 |  |  |  |
Income (loss) from equity method investments |  |  |  | (1,609,000) | (2,742,000) |  |  |  |
Amount drawn under credit facility | $ 305,000,000 | $ 305,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Holdback amount on credit facility |  | $ 40,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Change in value of investment carried at fair value (note 8(a)) |  |  |  | (137,957,000) | 0 |  |  |  |
Equity-method investees |  |  |  | $ 30,492,000 | 32,267,000 |  |  |  |
Red Lily I Project, wind energy facility, capacity (megawatt) | MW |  |  |  | 26.4 |  |  |  |  |
Property, plant and equipment |  |  |  | $ 6,393,558,000 | 6,304,897,000 |  |  |  |
Development loans | Notes Receivable |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Notes receivable from equity investees (e) |  |  |  | 101,416,000 | 30,060,000 |  |  |  |
Atlantica Yield |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Dividend income |  |  |  | $ 39,263,000 |  |  |  |  |
Equity interest |  | 16.50% | 25.00% | 41.50% |  |  |  |  |
Equity interest, share price (in usd per share) | $ / shares |  | $ 20.90 | $ 24.25 |  |  |  |  |  |
Contingent payment (in usd per share) | $ / shares |  |  | $ 0.60 |  |  |  |  |  |
Contributions of capital |  | $ 345,000,000 | $ 607,567,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
Fair value loss |  |  | $ 139,864,000 | $ 137,957,000 |  |  |  |  |
Change in value of investment carried at fair value (note 8(a)) |  |  |  | 1,907,000 |  |  |  |  |
Abengoa-Algonquin Global Energy Solution B.V. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income (loss) from equity method investments |  |  |  | 3,005,000 |  |  |  |  |
Equity-method investees |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 5,000,000 |  |
Variable Interest Entity, Reporting Entity Involvement, Maximum Loss Exposure, Amount |  |  |  | 7,509,000 |  |  |  |  |
Letters of credit, issued |  |  |  | 3,750,000 |  |  |  |  |
Abengoa-Algonquin Global Energy Solution B.V. | Notes Receivable |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Notes receivable from equity investees (e) |  |  |  | 4,940,000 |  |  |  |  |
75% Interest in Red Lily I Partnership |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income (loss) from equity method investments |  |  |  | $ (1,637,000) | (2,139,000) |  |  |  |
75% Interest in Red Lily I Partnership | Maximum |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Option to subscribe equity interest in partnership, percentage |  |  |  | 75.00% |  |  |  |  |
50% interest in Odell and Deerfield Wind Projects | Development loans |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Letter of credit fee percent |  |  |  | 2.00% |  |  |  |  |
50% Interest in Deerfield Wind Project |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity interest |  |  |  | 50.00% |  |  |  |  |
Project power capacity (megawatt) | MW |  |  |  | 149 |  |  |  |  |
Interest in Amherst Wind Project |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income (loss) from equity method investments |  |  |  | $ 1,714,000 |  |  |  |  |
Equity-method investees |  |  |  | 7,655,000 | 8,921,000 |  |  |  |
Interest capitalized on non-regulated property |  |  |  | 739,000 | 1,115,000 |  |  |  |
Property, plant and equipment |  |  |  | 308,825,000 |  |  |  |  |
Long-term debt |  |  |  | 190,910,000 | 106,628,000 |  |  |  |
Deerfield SponsorCo |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity interest |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 50.00%
Tax equity funding received |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 166,595,000 |
Amherst and Deerfield Wind Projects |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Accrued interest revenue |  |  |  | $ 6,144 |  |  |  |  |
Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of shareholders with joint control | shareholder |  |  |  | 2 |  |  |  |  |
Variable Interest Entity, Reporting Entity Involvement, Maximum Loss Exposure, Amount |  |  |  | $ 192,052,000 |  |  |  |  |
Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary | Windlectric |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Value of guarantee obligations recognized |  |  |  | 1,637,000 | $ 1,952,000 |  |  |  |
Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary | Windlectric | Notes Receivable |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Notes receivable from equity investees (e) |  |  |  | $ 96,477,000 |  |  |  |  |
Windlectric |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Project power capacity (megawatt) | MW |  |  |  | 74.1 |  |  |  |  |
AAGES B.V Secured Credit Facility |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Duration of credit facility | 3 years |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Secured credit facility | $ 306,500,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Subsequent Event | Abengoa-Algonquin Global Energy Solution B.V. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Amount repaid under credit support facility |  |  |  |  |  | $ 1,750,000 |  |  |
Subsequent Event | Wataynikaneyap Power Transmission |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership percentage of noncontrolling interest |  |  |  |  |  | 9.80% |  |  |
Distance of transmission line | km |  |  |  |  |  | 1,800 |  |  |

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