Share-based compensation - Related Income Tax Benefits (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Share-based compensation expense	$ 5.8	$ 10.0	$ 7.8
Income tax benefit	1.0	1.4	1.1
Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Share-based compensation expense	1.8	3.2	2.7
Income tax benefit	$ 0.4	$ 0.6	$ 0.5

Amount of expense for award under share-based payment arrangement. Excludes amount capitalized.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120381028&loc=d3e5047-113901

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SAB Topic 14.F)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=115993241&loc=d3e301413-122809

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (h)(1)(i)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120381028&loc=d3e5070-113901

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration