Assets power generation capacity.

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	cafd_
Data Type:	num:powerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Date of record for distribution of cash or unit to limited partner of limited partnership (LP), in CCYY-MM-DD format.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.3-04)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27012166&loc=d3e187085-122770

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 272
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6373374&loc=d3e70478-108055

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 272
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6373374&loc=d3e70434-108055

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Date of distribution for distribution of cash or unit to limited partner of limited partnership (LP), in CCYY-MM-DD format.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 272
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6373374&loc=d3e70478-108055

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 272
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6373374&loc=d3e70434-108055

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.3-04)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27012166&loc=d3e187085-122770

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Per unit of ownership amount of cash distributions declared to unit-holder of a limited partnership (LP).

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Period covered by the long-term purchase commitment, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermPurchaseCommitmentPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Detail information of subsequent event by type. User is expected to use existing line items from elsewhere in the taxonomy as the primary line items for this disclosure, which is further associated with dimension and member elements pertaining to a subsequent event.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

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- Details

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Balance Type:
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CounterpartyNameAxis=cafd_CuyamaSolarGenerationProjectMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CounterpartyNameAxis=cafd_CaliforniaFlatsSolarGenerationProjectMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CapitalUnitsByClassAxis=us-gaap_CapitalUnitClassAMember
Namespace Prefix:
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Subsequent Events - Additional Information (Details)		3 Months Ended
Subsequent Events - Additional Information (Details)	Mar. 23, 2017 $ / shares MW	Feb. 28, 2017 MW
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
MW(ac)		945
OpCo
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Number of year, power purchase agreement serving		5 years
Subsequent Event \| OpCo
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Number of year, power purchase agreement serving	5 years
Subsequent Event \| OpCo \| Cuyama Solar Generation Project
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
MW(ac)	40
Subsequent Event \| OpCo \| California Flats Solar Generation Project
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
MW(ac)	280
Class A shares \| Subsequent Event
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Distribution made to limited partner, Distributions declared \| $ / shares	$ 0.2565
Cash distribution payment date	Apr. 14, 2017
Cash distribution date of record	Apr. 04, 2017