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Summary of significant accounting policies (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2012
Future minimum lease payments |  |  |
2015 | $ 17 us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueCurrent |  |
2016 | 15 us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInTwoYears |  |
2017 | 12 us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInThreeYears |  |
2018 | 9 us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInFourYears |  |
2019 | 7 us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInFiveYears |  |
Thereafter | 23 us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueThereafter |  |
Total | 83 us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDue |  |
Leases |  |  |
Operating lease expense | 19 he_OperatingLeasesAndRentExpense | 19 he_OperatingLeasesAndRentExpense | 19 he_OperatingLeasesAndRentExpense
Composite annual depreciation rate (as a percent) | 3.10%us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesPropertyPlantAndEquipmentDisclosureOfCompositeDepreciationRateForPlantsInService | 3.10%us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesPropertyPlantAndEquipmentDisclosureOfCompositeDepreciationRateForPlantsInService | 3.10%us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesPropertyPlantAndEquipmentDisclosureOfCompositeDepreciationRateForPlantsInService
Maximum |  |  |
Cash and cash equivalents |  |  |
Original maturity period of investments classified as cash equivalents | 3 months |  |
Equity method |  |  |
Ownership percentage of affiliates classified as equity method investments | 50.00%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage / us-gaap_RangeAxis = us-gaap_MaximumMember |  |
Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc. and Subsidiaries |  |  |
Future minimum lease payments |  |  |
2015 | 8 us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueCurrent / dei_LegalEntityAxis = he_HawaiianElectricCompanyAndSubsidiariesMember |  |
2016 | 6 us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInTwoYears / dei_LegalEntityAxis = he_HawaiianElectricCompanyAndSubsidiariesMember |  |
2017 | 5 us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInThreeYears / dei_LegalEntityAxis = he_HawaiianElectricCompanyAndSubsidiariesMember |  |
2018 | 4 us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInFourYears / dei_LegalEntityAxis = he_HawaiianElectricCompanyAndSubsidiariesMember |  |
2019 | 3 us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInFiveYears / dei_LegalEntityAxis = he_HawaiianElectricCompanyAndSubsidiariesMember |  |
Thereafter | 14 us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueThereafter / dei_LegalEntityAxis = he_HawaiianElectricCompanyAndSubsidiariesMember |  |
Total | 40 us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDue / dei_LegalEntityAxis = he_HawaiianElectricCompanyAndSubsidiariesMember |  |
Leases |  |  |
Operating lease expense | $ 9 he_OperatingLeasesAndRentExpense / dei_LegalEntityAxis = he_HawaiianElectricCompanyAndSubsidiariesMember | $ 8 he_OperatingLeasesAndRentExpense / dei_LegalEntityAxis = he_HawaiianElectricCompanyAndSubsidiariesMember | $ 8 he_OperatingLeasesAndRentExpense / dei_LegalEntityAxis = he_HawaiianElectricCompanyAndSubsidiariesMember

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- Definition The percentage of ownership of common stock or equity participation in the investee accounted for under the equity method of accounting. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 323 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -Subparagraph (a)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6382943&loc=d3e33918-111571 + Details
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- Definition Amount of required minimum rental payments for leases having an initial or remaining non-cancelable letter-terms in excess of one year. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 840 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6453985&loc=d3e41502-112717 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 840 -SubTopic 10 -Section 55 -Paragraph 40 -Subparagraph (Note 3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6584154&loc=d3e38371-112697 + Details
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- Definition Amount of required minimum rental payments for operating leases having an initial or remaining non-cancelable lease term in excess of one year due in the next fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 840 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6453985&loc=d3e41502-112717 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 840 -SubTopic 10 -Section 55 -Paragraph 40 -Subparagraph (Note 3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6584154&loc=d3e38371-112697 + Details
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- Definition Amount of required minimum rental payments for operating leases having an initial or remaining non-cancelable lease term in excess of one year due in the fourth fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 840 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6453985&loc=d3e41502-112717 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 840 -SubTopic 10 -Section 55 -Paragraph 40 -Subparagraph (Note 3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6584154&loc=d3e38371-112697 + Details
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- Definition Amount of required minimum rental payments for operating leases having an initial or remaining non-cancelable lease term in excess of one year due in the third fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 840 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6453985&loc=d3e41502-112717 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 840 -SubTopic 10 -Section 55 -Paragraph 40 -Subparagraph (Note 3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6584154&loc=d3e38371-112697 + Details
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- Definition Amount of required minimum rental payments for operating leases having an initial or remaining non-cancelable lease term in excess of one year due in the second fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 840 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6453985&loc=d3e41502-112717 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 840 -SubTopic 10 -Section 55 -Paragraph 40 -Subparagraph (Note 3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6584154&loc=d3e38371-112697 + Details
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- Definition Amount of required minimum rental payments for operating leases having an initial or remaining non-cancelable lease term in excess of one year due after the fifth fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 840 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6453985&loc=d3e41502-112717 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 840 -SubTopic 10 -Section 55 -Paragraph 40 -Subparagraph (Note 3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6584154&loc=d3e38371-112697 + Details
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