The cumulative amount for all deferred tax assets as of the balance sheet date arising from temporary differences between accounting income in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and tax-basis income and, assuming no other temporary differences, that will result in future accounting income exceeding future taxable income.

No definition available.

SCHEDULE I - CONDENSED FINANCIAL INFORMATION OF REGISTRANT (Details) (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2013 Self-insured United States longshore & Harbor bond	Dec. 31, 2013 Self-insured automobile bond	Dec. 31, 2013 HEI medium-term note 5.25%, due 2013	Dec. 31, 2012 HEI medium-term note 5.25%, due 2013	Dec. 31, 2013 HEI medium-term note 6.51%, due 2014	Dec. 31, 2012 HEI medium-term note 6.51%, due 2014	Dec. 31, 2013 HEI senior note 4.41%, due 2016	Dec. 31, 2012 HEI senior note 4.41%, due 2016	Dec. 31, 2013 HEI senior note 5.67%, due 2021	Dec. 31, 2012 HEI senior note 5.67%, due 2021	Dec. 31, 2013 HEI senior note 3.99%, due 2023	Mar. 06, 2013 HEI senior note 3.99%, due 2023	Dec. 31, 2012 HEI senior note 3.99%, due 2023	Dec. 31, 2013 Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc.	Dec. 31, 2012 Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc.	Dec. 31, 2011 Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc.	Dec. 31, 2010 Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc.	Dec. 31, 2013 Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc. HEI medium-term note 5.25%, due 2013	Dec. 31, 2012 Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc. HEI medium-term note 5.25%, due 2013	Dec. 31, 2013 Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc. HEI medium-term note 6.51%, due 2014	Dec. 31, 2012 Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc. HEI medium-term note 6.51%, due 2014	Dec. 31, 2013 Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc. HEI senior note 4.41%, due 2016	Dec. 31, 2012 Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc. HEI senior note 4.41%, due 2016	Dec. 31, 2013 Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc. HEI senior note 5.67%, due 2021	Dec. 31, 2012 Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc. HEI senior note 5.67%, due 2021	Dec. 31, 2013 Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc. HEI senior note 3.99%, due 2023
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 220,036,000	$ 219,662,000	$ 270,265,000	$ 330,651,000														$ 571,000	$ 18,021,000	$ 1,765,000	$ 1,540,000
Accounts receivable	346,785,000	362,823,000																1,661,000	1,836,000
Property, plant and equipment, net	3,858,947,000	3,594,829,000																5,419,000	5,814,000
Deferred income tax assets																		1,594,000	8,517,000
Other assets	519,194,000	494,414,000																23,679,000	8,390,000
Investments in subsidiaries, at equity																		2,122,841,000	1,978,283,000
Total assets	10,340,044,000	10,149,132,000																2,155,765,000	2,020,861,000
Liabilities
Accounts payable	212,331,000	212,379,000																817,000	24,086,000
Interest payable																		4,630,000	4,781,000
Notes payable to subsidiaries																		7,936,000	7,722,000
Commercial paper																		105,482,000	83,694,000
Long-term debt	1,492,945,000	1,422,872,000					0	50,000,000	100,000,000	100,000,000	75,000,000	75,000,000	50,000,000	50,000,000	50,000,000		0	275,000,000	275,000,000			0	50,000,000	100,000,000	100,000,000	75,000,000	75,000,000	50,000,000	50,000,000	50,000,000
Deferred income taxes	586,499,000	491,203,000																11,385,000	0
Retirement benefits liability	288,539,000	656,394,000																21,559,000	28,004,000
Other	524,224,000	524,535,000																1,886,000	3,709,000
Total liabilities	8,578,681,000	8,520,974,000																428,695,000	426,996,000
Shareholders' equity
Preferred stock, no par value, authorized 10,000,000 shares; issued: none	0	0																0	0
Common stock, no par value, authorized 200,000,000 shares; issued and outstanding: 101,259,800 shares and 97,928,403 shares in 2013 and 2012, respectively	1,488,126,000	1,403,484,000																1,488,126,000	1,403,484,000
Retained earnings	255,694,000	216,804,000																255,694,000	216,804,000
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(16,750,000)	(26,423,000)																(16,750,000)	(26,423,000)
Total shareholders' equity	1,727,070,000	1,593,865,000	1,528,706,000	1,480,394,000														1,727,070,000	1,593,865,000
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	10,340,044,000	10,149,132,000																2,155,765,000	2,020,861,000
Interest rate of medium-term notes (as a percent)							5.25%	5.25%	6.51%	6.51%	4.41%	4.41%	5.67%	5.67%	3.99%	3.99%	3.99%					5.25%	5.25%	6.51%	6.51%	4.41%	4.41%	5.67%	5.67%	3.99%
Aggregate principal payments
2014	111,000,000																	100,000,000
2015	0																	0
2016	75,000,000																	75,000,000
2017	0																	0
2018	50,000,000																	0
Guarantee obligation maximum exposure					$ 200,000	$ 500,000
Preferred stock, authorized shares	10,000,000	10,000,000																10,000,000	10,000,000
Common stock, authorized shares	200,000,000	200,000,000																200,000,000	200,000,000
Common stock, issued shares	101,259,800	97,928,403																101,259,800	97,928,403
Common stock, outstanding shares	101,259,800	97,928,403																101,259,800	97,928,403