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Unconsolidated variable interest entities (Details) (USD $) | 12 Months Ended | 1 Months Ended
--- | --- | ---
Dec. 31, 2014 entity agreement | Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2012 | Oct. 31, 2004 MW | May 31, 1991 MW | Mar. 31, 2004 security
Power purchase agreement |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of power purchase agreements (PPAs) | 7 he_NumberOfPowerPurchaseAgreements |  |  |  |  |
Number of largest IPP's declining to provide financial information to determine primary beneficiary status | 3 he_NumberOfLargestIPPDecliningToProvideFinancialInformation |  |  |  |  |
Accounts payable | $ 186,425,000 us-gaap_AccountsPayableCurrentAndNoncurrent | $ 212,331,000 us-gaap_AccountsPayableCurrentAndNoncurrent |  |  |  |
Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc. and Subsidiaries |  |  |  |  |  |
Power purchase agreement |  |  |  |  |  |
Purchases from IPPs | 722,008,000 us-gaap_UtilitiesOperatingExpensePurchasedPower / dei_LegalEntityAxis = he_HawaiianElectricCompanyAndSubsidiariesMember | 710,681,000 us-gaap_UtilitiesOperatingExpensePurchasedPower / dei_LegalEntityAxis = he_HawaiianElectricCompanyAndSubsidiariesMember | 724,240,000 us-gaap_UtilitiesOperatingExpensePurchasedPower / dei_LegalEntityAxis = he_HawaiianElectricCompanyAndSubsidiariesMember |  |  |
Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc. and Subsidiaries | AES Hawaii, Inc. (AES Hawaii) |  |  |  |  |  |
Power purchase agreement |  |  |  |  |  |
Purchases from IPPs | 145,000,000 us-gaap_UtilitiesOperatingExpensePurchasedPower / dei_LegalEntityAxis = he_HawaiianElectricCompanyAndSubsidiariesMember / he_MajorVendorAxis = he_AESHawaiianIncMember | 134,000,000 us-gaap_UtilitiesOperatingExpensePurchasedPower / dei_LegalEntityAxis = he_HawaiianElectricCompanyAndSubsidiariesMember / he_MajorVendorAxis = he_AESHawaiianIncMember | 146,000,000 us-gaap_UtilitiesOperatingExpensePurchasedPower / dei_LegalEntityAxis = he_HawaiianElectricCompanyAndSubsidiariesMember / he_MajorVendorAxis = he_AESHawaiianIncMember |  |  |
Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc. and Subsidiaries | Kalaeloa Partners, L.P. (Kalaeloa) |  |  |  |  |  |
Power purchase agreement |  |  |  |  |  |
Purchases from IPPs | 279,000,000 us-gaap_UtilitiesOperatingExpensePurchasedPower / dei_LegalEntityAxis = he_HawaiianElectricCompanyAndSubsidiariesMember / he_MajorVendorAxis = he_KalaeloaPartnersLPMember | 301,000,000 us-gaap_UtilitiesOperatingExpensePurchasedPower / dei_LegalEntityAxis = he_HawaiianElectricCompanyAndSubsidiariesMember / he_MajorVendorAxis = he_KalaeloaPartnersLPMember | 310,000,000 us-gaap_UtilitiesOperatingExpensePurchasedPower / dei_LegalEntityAxis = he_HawaiianElectricCompanyAndSubsidiariesMember / he_MajorVendorAxis = he_KalaeloaPartnersLPMember |  |  |
Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc. and Subsidiaries | Hamakua Energy Partners, L.P. (HEP) |  |  |  |  |  |
Power purchase agreement |  |  |  |  |  |
Purchases from IPPs | 51,000,000 us-gaap_UtilitiesOperatingExpensePurchasedPower / dei_LegalEntityAxis = he_HawaiianElectricCompanyAndSubsidiariesMember / he_MajorVendorAxis = he_HamakuaEnergyPartnersLPMember | 51,000,000 us-gaap_UtilitiesOperatingExpensePurchasedPower / dei_LegalEntityAxis = he_HawaiianElectricCompanyAndSubsidiariesMember / he_MajorVendorAxis = he_HamakuaEnergyPartnersLPMember | 65,000,000 us-gaap_UtilitiesOperatingExpensePurchasedPower / dei_LegalEntityAxis = he_HawaiianElectricCompanyAndSubsidiariesMember / he_MajorVendorAxis = he_HamakuaEnergyPartnersLPMember |  |  |
Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc. and Subsidiaries | HPOWER |  |  |  |  |  |
Power purchase agreement |  |  |  |  |  |
Purchases from IPPs | 66,000,000 us-gaap_UtilitiesOperatingExpensePurchasedPower / dei_LegalEntityAxis = he_HawaiianElectricCompanyAndSubsidiariesMember / he_MajorVendorAxis = he_HpowerMember | 61,000,000 us-gaap_UtilitiesOperatingExpensePurchasedPower / dei_LegalEntityAxis = he_HawaiianElectricCompanyAndSubsidiariesMember / he_MajorVendorAxis = he_HpowerMember | 65,000,000 us-gaap_UtilitiesOperatingExpensePurchasedPower / dei_LegalEntityAxis = he_HawaiianElectricCompanyAndSubsidiariesMember / he_MajorVendorAxis = he_HpowerMember |  |  |
Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc. and Subsidiaries | Other IPPs |  |  |  |  |  |
Power purchase agreement |  |  |  |  |  |
Purchases from IPPs | 181,000,000 us-gaap_UtilitiesOperatingExpensePurchasedPower / dei_LegalEntityAxis = he_HawaiianElectricCompanyAndSubsidiariesMember / he_MajorVendorAxis = he_OtherIndependentPowerProducersMember | 164,000,000 us-gaap_UtilitiesOperatingExpensePurchasedPower / dei_LegalEntityAxis = he_HawaiianElectricCompanyAndSubsidiariesMember / he_MajorVendorAxis = he_OtherIndependentPowerProducersMember | 138,000,000 us-gaap_UtilitiesOperatingExpensePurchasedPower / dei_LegalEntityAxis = he_HawaiianElectricCompanyAndSubsidiariesMember / he_MajorVendorAxis = he_OtherIndependentPowerProducersMember |  |  |
HECO |  |  |  |  |  |
Power purchase agreement |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of power purchase agreements (PPAs) | 7 he_NumberOfPowerPurchaseAgreements / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember |  |  |  |  |
Maximum capacity of small power production facilities (in kilowatts) | 100 he_MaximumCapacityOfSmallPowerProductionFacility / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of power purchase from AES Hawaii, Inc. (AES Hawaii), Kalaeloa Partners, L.P. (Kalaeloa), Hamakua Energy Partners, L.P. (HEP) and HPOWER | 90.00%he_PercentageOfPowerPurchaseCapacity / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember |  |  |  |  |
Purchases from IPPs | 537,821,000 us-gaap_UtilitiesOperatingExpensePurchasedPower / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember | 527,839,000 us-gaap_UtilitiesOperatingExpensePurchasedPower / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember | 540,802,000 us-gaap_UtilitiesOperatingExpensePurchasedPower / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember |  |  |
Number of entities owning wind farms not required to be consolidated as VIE's | 2 he_NumberOfEntitiesOwningWindFarmsNotRequiredToBeConsolidatedAsVIEEntities / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember |  |  |  |  |
Minimum potential number of IPP entities consolidated into company in the future | 1 he_MinimumPotentialNumberOfIPPEntitiesConsolidatedIntoCompanyInFuture / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember |  |  |  |  |
HECO | Kalaeloa Partners, L.P. (Kalaeloa) |  |  |  |  |  |
Power purchase agreement |  |  |  |  |  |
Power purchase capacity (in megawatts) |  |  |  |  | 180 he_AggregateOfPowerPurchaseCapacity / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember / he_MajorVendorAxis = he_KalaeloaPartnersLPMember |
Number of years entity entered under power purchase agreement | 25 years |  |  |  |  |
Power purchase capacity that Increases from initial capacity (in megawatts) |  |  |  | 208 he_AggregateOfPowerPurchaseCapacityIncreasesFromInitialCapacity / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember / he_MajorVendorAxis = he_KalaeloaPartnersLPMember |  |
Accounts payable | 13,000,000 us-gaap_AccountsPayableCurrentAndNoncurrent / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember / he_MajorVendorAxis = he_KalaeloaPartnersLPMember |  |  |  |  |
Hawaii Electric Light Company, Inc. (HELCO) |  |  |  |  |  |
Power purchase agreement |  |  |  |  |  |
Purchases from IPPs | 123,226,000 us-gaap_UtilitiesOperatingExpensePurchasedPower / dei_LegalEntityAxis = he_SubsidiariesTwoMember | 128,368,000 us-gaap_UtilitiesOperatingExpensePurchasedPower / dei_LegalEntityAxis = he_SubsidiariesTwoMember | 145,386,000 us-gaap_UtilitiesOperatingExpensePurchasedPower / dei_LegalEntityAxis = he_SubsidiariesTwoMember |  |  |
Maui Electric Company, Limited (MECO) |  |  |  |  |  |
Power purchase agreement |  |  |  |  |  |
Purchases from IPPs | 60,961,000 us-gaap_UtilitiesOperatingExpensePurchasedPower / dei_LegalEntityAxis = he_SubsidiariesThreeMember | 54,474,000 us-gaap_UtilitiesOperatingExpensePurchasedPower / dei_LegalEntityAxis = he_SubsidiariesThreeMember | 38,052,000 us-gaap_UtilitiesOperatingExpensePurchasedPower / dei_LegalEntityAxis = he_SubsidiariesThreeMember |  |  |
HECO Capital Trust III |  |  |  |  |  |
Unconsolidated variable interest entities |  |  |  |  |  |
Investment in 2004 Debentures | 51,500,000 us-gaap_Investments / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityNotPrimaryBeneficiaryMember |  |  |  |  |
Interest income | 3,400,000 us-gaap_InvestmentIncomeInterest / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityNotPrimaryBeneficiaryMember |  |  |  |  |
HECO Capital Trust III | HECO |  |  |  |  |  |
Unconsolidated variable interest entities |  |  |  |  |  |
Principal amount of 2004 Debentures |  |  |  |  |  | 31,500,000.0 us-gaap_InvestmentOwnedBalancePrincipalAmount / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityNotPrimaryBeneficiaryMember
HECO Capital Trust III | HECO | 2004 Trust Preferred Securities |  |  |  |  |  |
Unconsolidated variable interest entities |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of 2004 Trust Preferred Securities issued |  |  |  |  |  | 2,000,000 he_TrustPreferredSecuritiesSubjectToMandatoryRedemptionNumberIssued / us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis = us-gaap_TrustPreferredSecuritiesSubjectToMandatoryRedemptionMember / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityNotPrimaryBeneficiaryMember
Dividend rate on 2004 Trust Preferred Securities (as a percent) |  |  |  |  |  | 6.50%he_TrustPreferredSecuritiesDividendRatePercentage / us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis = us-gaap_TrustPreferredSecuritiesSubjectToMandatoryRedemptionMember / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityNotPrimaryBeneficiaryMember
Aggregate Liquidation preference |  |  |  |  |  | 50,000,000 he_SecuritiesLiquidationPreferenceAmount / us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis = us-gaap_TrustPreferredSecuritiesSubjectToMandatoryRedemptionMember / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityNotPrimaryBeneficiaryMember
Balance of Trust Securities | 50,000,000 he_ConvertiblePreferredStock / us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis = us-gaap_TrustPreferredSecuritiesSubjectToMandatoryRedemptionMember / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityNotPrimaryBeneficiaryMember |  |  |  |  |
Dividend distributions on Trust Preferred Securities | 3,300,000 us-gaap_InterestExpenseTrustPreferredSecurities / us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis = us-gaap_TrustPreferredSecuritiesSubjectToMandatoryRedemptionMember / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityNotPrimaryBeneficiaryMember |  |  |  |  |
HECO Capital Trust III | HECO | Trust Common Securities |  |  |  |  |  |
Unconsolidated variable interest entities |  |  |  |  |  |
Aggregate Liquidation preference |  |  |  |  |  | 1,500,000.0 he_SecuritiesLiquidationPreferenceAmount / us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis = he_TrustCommonSecuritiesMember / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityNotPrimaryBeneficiaryMember
Balance of Trust Securities | 1,500,000 he_ConvertiblePreferredStock / us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis = he_TrustCommonSecuritiesMember / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityNotPrimaryBeneficiaryMember |  |  |  |  |
Common dividend | 100,000 he_DividendsTrustCommonSecurities / us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis = he_TrustCommonSecuritiesMember / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityNotPrimaryBeneficiaryMember |  |  |  |  |
HECO Capital Trust III | Hawaii Electric Light Company, Inc. (HELCO) |  |  |  |  |  |
Unconsolidated variable interest entities |  |  |  |  |  |
Principal amount of 2004 Debentures |  |  |  |  |  | 10,000,000 us-gaap_InvestmentOwnedBalancePrincipalAmount / dei_LegalEntityAxis = he_SubsidiariesTwoMember / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityNotPrimaryBeneficiaryMember
HECO Capital Trust III | Maui Electric Company, Limited (MECO) |  |  |  |  |  |
Unconsolidated variable interest entities |  |  |  |  |  |
Principal amount of 2004 Debentures |  |  |  |  |  | $ 10,000,000 us-gaap_InvestmentOwnedBalancePrincipalAmount / dei_LegalEntityAxis = he_SubsidiariesThreeMember / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityNotPrimaryBeneficiaryMember

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- Definition Preferred securities that embody an unconditional obligation requiring the issuer to redeem the securities by transferring the assets at a specified or determinable date (or dates) or upon an event that is certain to occur, that are issued by a trust to outside investors where the trust uses the proceeds of the issuance of those securities to purchase an equivalent amount of junior subordinated debentures or other loans having stated maturities. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition The value of liquidation preference (or restrictions) of securities that has a preference in involuntary liquidation considerably in excess of the par or stated value of the shares. The liquidation preference is the difference between the preference in liquidation and the par or stated values of the share. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of liabilities incurred (and for which invoices have typically been received) and payable to vendors for goods and services received that are used in an entity's business. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 942 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.15(5)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.15(a)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 15 -Subparagraph a -Article 7 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 15 -Subparagraph 5 -Article 9 + Details
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