Earnings per share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands |
9 Months Ended | |
|---|---|---|
Sep. 30, 2019 |
Sep. 30, 2018 |
|
| Earnings per share [Abstract] | ||
| Profit/ (loss) from continuing operations attributable to Atlantica | $ 60,832 | $ 120,512 |
| Average number of ordinary shares outstanding (thousands) - basic and diluted (in shares) | 100,882 | 100,217 |
| Earnings per share from continuing operations - basic and diluted (in dollars per share) | $ 0.60 | $ 1.20 |
| Earnings per share from profit/ (loss) for the period - basic and diluted (in dollars per share) | $ 0.60 | $ 1.20 |