Contract balances (Details 2) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2023	Mar. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2022
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Contract assets	$ 212,687		$ 185,289
Change in contract assets	27,398
Contract liabilities - current	(202,788)		(208,204)
Change in contract liabilities - current	5,416
Contract liabilities - noncurrent	(442)		(6)
Change in contract liabilities - noncurrent	(436)
Net contract assets (liabilities)	9,457		$ (22,921)
Change in net contract assets (liabilities)	32,378
Amounts included in contract liability at the beginning of the period	154,900	$ 121,800
Contract with Customer, Performance Obligation Satisfied in Previous Period	$ 21,300	$ 23,500

Amount of increase (decrease) in current contract assets, net

No definition available.

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Total of net contract assets and liabilities

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	mdu_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of increase (decrease) in net contract assets and liabilities

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	mdu_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of increase (decrease) in current contract liabilities

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	mdu_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of increase (decrease) in noncurrent contract liabilities

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	mdu_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, after allowance for credit loss, of right to consideration in exchange for good or service transferred to customer when right is conditioned on something other than passage of time.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 45
-Paragraph 3
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147479837/606-10-45-3

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147479837/606-10-45-1

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 8
-Subparagraph (a)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147479806/606-10-50-8

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of obligation to transfer good or service to customer for which consideration has been received or is receivable, classified as current.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147479837/606-10-45-1

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 8
-Subparagraph (a)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147479806/606-10-50-8

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147479837/606-10-45-2

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of obligation to transfer good or service to customer for which consideration has been received or is receivable, classified as noncurrent.

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of revenue recognized that was previously included in balance of obligation to transfer good or service to customer for which consideration from customer has been received or is due.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 8
-Subparagraph (b)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147479806/606-10-50-8

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of revenue recognized from performance obligation satisfied or partially satisfied in previous reporting periods. Includes, but is not limited to, change in transaction price.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 12A
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147479806/606-10-50-12A

+ Details

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

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Balance Type:	na
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