Note 5 - Fair Value of Financial Instruments (Tables)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2013

Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]

Fair Value, by Balance Sheet Grouping [Table Text Block]

	Cost or
	Amortized		Fair Value at June 30, 2013
	Cost at June 30, 2013		Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
	(Dollars in thousands)
Assets
Current assets:
Cash equivalents (including restricted cash accounts)	$	63,887	$	63,887	$	63,887	$	-	$	-
Derivatives:
Put options on oil price(1)		-		966		-		966		-
Currency forward contracts(2)		-		2,173		-		2,173		-
Swap transaction on natural gas price(3)		-		1,647		-		1,647		-
	$	63,887	$	68,673	$	63,887	$	4,786	$	-

	Cost or
	Amortized
	Cost at		Fair Value at December 31, 2012
	December 31, 2012		Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
	(Dollars in thousands)
Assets
Current assets:
Cash equivalents (including restricted cash accounts)	$	54,298	$	54,298	$	54,298	$	-	$	-
Derivatives:
Put options on oil price(1)		-		1,842		-		1,842		-
Currency forward contracts(2)		-		1,675		-		1,675		-
Swap transaction on natural gas price(3)		-		2,804		-		2,804		-
Swap transaction on oil price(4)		-		336		-		336		-
	$	54,298	$	60,955	$	54,298	$	6,657	$	-

Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Table Text Block]

		Amount of recognized gain (loss)
Derivatives not designated	Location of recognized gain (loss)	Three Months Ended June 30,					Six Months Ended June 30,
as hedging instruments		2013		2012			2013			2012
		(Dollars in thousands)					(Dollars in thousands)
Put options on oil price	Electricity revenues	$	496	$	-		$	(432	)	$	-
Swap transaction on oil price	Electricity revenues		-		-			(294	)		-
Swap transaction on natural  gas price	Electricity revenues		2,994		-			(396	)		-
Currency forward contracts gains (losses)	Foreign currency translation and transaction gains (losses)		890		(1,310	)		2,925			(637	)
		$	4,380	$	(1,310	)	$	1,803		$	(637	)

Schedule of Carrying Values and Estimated Fair Values of Debt Instruments [Table Text Block]

	Fair Value				Carrying Amount
	June 30, 2013		December 31, 2012		June 30, 2013		December 31, 2012
	(Dollars in millions)				(Dollars in millions)
Olkaria III loan - DEG	$	44.6	$	48.8	$	43.4	$	47.4
Amatitlan loan		36.9		38.9		32.9		34.3
Senior secured notes:
Ormat Funding LLC ("OFC")		93.2		105.0		101.3		114.1
OrCal Geothermal LLC ("OrCal")		79.6		77.3		76.5		76.5
OFC 2 LLC ("OFC 2")		128.7		131.2		149.7		150.5
Senior unsecured bonds		273.1		273.2		250.8		250.9
Loans from institutional investors		24.0		27.7		23.3		27.0

Fair Value, Measurement Inputs, Disclosure [Text Block]

	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
	(Dollars in millions)
Olkaria III loan - DEG	$	—	$	—	$	44.6	$	44.6
Amatitlan loan		—		—		36.9		36.9
Senior secured notes:
OFC		—		93.2		—		93.2
OrCal		—		—		79.6		79.6
OFC 2		—		—		128.7		128.7
Senior unsecured bonds		—		—		273.1		273.1
Loan from institutional investors		—		—		24.0		24.0
Other long-term debt		—		30.0		—		30.0
Revolving lines of credit		—		80.2		—		80.2
Deposits		21.1		—		—		21.1