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Electric utility subsidiary - Commitments and contingencies (Details) (USD $) | 3 Months Ended |  | 3 Months Ended | 0 Months Ended | 1 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 1 Months Ended |
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Mar. 31, 2014 item | Mar. 31, 2014 Hawaiian Electric Company | Mar. 31, 2013 Hawaiian Electric Company | Mar. 31, 2014 Maui Electric Company (MECO) | Mar. 31, 2013 Maui Electric Company (MECO) | Mar. 31, 2012 Maui Electric Company (MECO) | Mar. 31, 2014 Hawaii Electric Light Company, Inc. (HELCO) | Mar. 31, 2013 Hawaii Electric Light Company, Inc. (HELCO) | Feb. 07, 2014 Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc. and Subsidiaries | Oct. 19, 2012 Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc. and Subsidiaries | Oct. 31, 2013 Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc. and Subsidiaries | Mar. 31, 2014 Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc. and Subsidiaries | Mar. 31, 2013 Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc. and Subsidiaries | Apr. 30, 2014 Subsequent Event order | Apr. 30, 2014 Subsequent Event Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc. and Subsidiaries | Mar. 01, 2014 Maximum Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc. and Subsidiaries | Mar. 01, 2014 Minimum Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Environmental regulation |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of EGUs impacted by proposed rules of MATS | 14 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Period of extension resulting in MATS compliance date |  | 1 year |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Period for which operations was stopped prior to merger | 4 years |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Additional accrued investigation and estimated cleanup costs |  |  |  | $ 3,600,000 |  | $ 3,100,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of reduction in GHG emissions by 2020 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 25.00% | 16.00% |  |  |  |  |  |
Annual revenue |  | 512,455,000 | 507,058,000 | 102,693,000 | 104,399,000 |  | 104,931,000 | 106,012,000 |  |  |  | 720,062,000 | 717,441,000 |  |  |  |
Asset retirement obligations |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impact on earnings from recognition of AROs |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 |  |  |  |  |
Changes in the asset retirement obligation liability |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Balance, beginning of period |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 43,106,000 | 48,431,000 |  |  |  |
Accretion expense |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 370,000 | 124,000 |  |  |  |
Liabilities settled |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (2,240,000) | (642,000) |  |  |  |
Revisions in estimated cash flows |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 | 0 |  |  |  |
Balance, end of period |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 41,236,000 | 47,913,000 |  |  |  |
Baseline capital project value to determine revenue adjustment |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 2,500,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
Proposed rate base adjustment, percent of previous rate base adjustment |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 90.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Proposed effective interest rate, revenue balancing account |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 3.25% | 1.25%
Effective interest rate, revenue balancing account |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 6.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Regulatory response period |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 120 days |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of orders from regulatory agency |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 4 |  |  |
Period to file required plan |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 120 days |  |
Period to file demand response portfolio plan |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 90 days |  |
Period to file implementation plan |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 60 days |  |
Period for full implementation of plan |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 180 days |  |
Period to file action plan |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 30 days |  |
Proposal to file implementation proposal |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 120 days |  |

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