Document and Entity Information - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Feb. 13, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014
Entity Information [Line Items]
Entity Registrant Name	HAWAIIAN ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES INC
Entity Central Index Key	0000354707
Document Type	10-K
Document Period End Date	Dec. 31, 2014
Amendment Flag	true
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Entity Well-known Seasoned Issuer	Yes
Entity Voluntary Filers	No
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Filer Category	Large Accelerated Filer
Entity Public Float			$ 2,571,503,656
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		102,710,867
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2014
Document Fiscal Period Focus	FY
Amendment Description	HEI and Hawaiian Electric are filing this Amendment No. 1 on Form 10-K/A (the Amended Filing) to amend certain parts of their Annual Report on 2014 Form 10-K, originally filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on February 26, 2015 (the Original Filing).
Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Entity Information [Line Items]
Entity Registrant Name	HAWAIIAN ELECTRIC COMPANY INC
Entity Central Index Key	0000046207
Document Type	10-K
Document Period End Date	Dec. 31, 2014
Amendment Flag	true
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Entity Well-known Seasoned Issuer	No
Entity Voluntary Filers	No
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Filer Category	Non-accelerated Filer
Entity Public Float			$ 0
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		15,805,327
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2014
Document Fiscal Period Focus	FY