XML 127 R111.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.10.0.1

Health care rate assumptions and cost trend rate (Details 7) - Underfunded Plan [Member] - Qualified Plan [Member] - Other Postretirement Benefits - USD ($) $ in Thousands | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2018 | Dec. 31, 2017
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items] |  |
Health care cost trend rate - ultimate | 4.50% | 4.50%
Defined benefit plan, year health care cost trend rate reaches ultimate trend rate | 2024 | 2024
Percentage excess over the health care cost trend rate that retiree contributions will generally increase each year | 6.00% |
Effect on total of service and interest cost components, one percentage point increase | $ 223 |
Effect on total of service and interest cost components, one percentage point decrease | (184) |
Effect on postretirement benefit obligations, one percentage point increase | 4,296 |
Effect on postretirement benefit obligations, one percentage point decrease | $ (3,622) |
Minimum [Member] |  |
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items] |  |
Health care trend rate assumed for next year | 7.50% | 7.50%
Maximum [Member] |  |
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items] |  |
Health care trend rate assumed for next year | 8.10% | 8.50%

X
- Definition Percentage excess over the health care cost trend rate that retiree contributions will generally increase each year. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | mdu_PercentageExcessOverHealthCareCostTrendRateThatRetireeContributionsWillGenerallyIncreaseEachYear
Namespace Prefix: | mdu_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanDisclosureLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of decrease in accumulated postretirement benefit obligation from one-percentage-point decrease in assumed health care cost trend rate. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (m) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=108410482&loc=d3e1928-114920 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanEffectOfOnePercentagePointDecreaseOnAccumulatedPostretirementBenefitObligation1
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of decrease in service and interest cost components of net periodic postretirement benefit cost from one-percentage-point decrease in assumed health care cost trend rate. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (m) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=108410482&loc=d3e1928-114920 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanEffectOfOnePercentagePointDecreaseOnServiceAndInterestCostComponents1
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of increase in accumulated postretirement benefit obligation from one-percentage-point increase in assumed health care cost trend rate. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (m) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=108410482&loc=d3e1928-114920 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanEffectOfOnePercentagePointIncreaseOnAccumulatedPostretirementBenefitObligation
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of increase in service and interest cost components of net periodic postretirement benefit cost from one-percentage-point increase in assumed health care cost trend rate. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (m) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=108410482&loc=d3e1928-114920 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanEffectOfOnePercentagePointIncreaseOnServiceAndInterestCostComponents
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Assumed rate, for next fiscal year, based on annual change in cost of health care cost benefits used to measure expected cost of benefits covered by defined benefit postretirement plan. Factors include, but are not limited to, estimate of health care inflation, change in health care utilization or delivery pattern, technological advances, and change in health status of participant. Excludes factors for change in composition of plan population by age and dependency status. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (l) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=108410482&loc=d3e1928-114920 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanHealthCareCostTrendRateAssumedNextFiscalYear
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Ultimate trend rate for health care cost for defined benefit postretirement plan. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (l) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=108410482&loc=d3e1928-114920 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanUltimateHealthCareCostTrendRate1
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Year ultimate health care cost trend rate is expected to be reached, in CCYY format. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (l) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=108410482&loc=d3e1928-114920 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanYearHealthCareCostTrendRateReachesUltimateTrendRate
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | us-types:gYearListItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_RetirementPlanFundingStatusAxis=us-gaap_UnderfundedPlanMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_RetirementPlanTaxStatusAxis=us-gaap_QualifiedPlanMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_RetirementPlanTypeAxis=us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_RangeAxis=srt_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_RangeAxis=srt_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |