Earnings per share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Earnings per share [Abstract]
Profit/(loss) from continuing operations attributable to Atlantica Yield Plc.	$ (4,764)	$ (11,769)
Average number of ordinary shares outstanding (thousands) - basic and diluted (in shares)	100,217	100,217
Earnings per share from continuing operations (US dollar per share) - basic and diluted (in dollars per share)	$ (0.05)	$ (0.12)
Earnings per share from profit/ (loss) for the period (US dollar per share) - basic and diluted (in dollars per share)	$ (0.05)	$ (0.12)

The amount of earnings per share when the basic and diluted measurements are equal. [Refer: Basic earnings (loss) per share; Diluted earnings (loss) per share]

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- Definition

Basic and diluted earnings (loss) per share from continuing operations. [Refer: Basic and diluted earnings (loss) per share]

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No definition available.

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- Definition

The profit (loss) from continuing operations attributable to ordinary equity holders of the parent equity. [Refer: Continuing operations [member]; Profit (loss) from continuing operations]

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- Definition

The number of ordinary shares outstanding at the beginning of the period, adjusted by the number of ordinary shares bought back or issued during the period multiplied by a time-weighting factor.

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