Bank segment - Allowance for loan commitments (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2022	Jun. 30, 2021	Jun. 30, 2022	Jun. 30, 2021
Allowance for loan commitments:
Beginning balance	$ 5,400	$ 2,900	$ 4,900	$ 4,300
Provision	500	750	1,000	(650)
Ending balance	5,900	3,650	5,900	3,650
Real estate \| Home equity line of credit
Allowance for loan commitments:
Beginning balance	400	400	400	300
Provision	0	0	0	100
Ending balance	400	400	400	400
Real estate \| Commercial construction
Allowance for loan commitments:
Beginning balance	3,600	1,300	3,700	3,000
Provision	500	1,100	400	(600)
Ending balance	4,100	2,400	4,100	2,400
Commercial
Allowance for loan commitments:
Beginning balance	1,400	1,200	800	1,000
Provision	0	(350)	600	(150)
Ending balance	$ 1,400	$ 850	$ 1,400	$ 850

Amount of expected credit loss for credit exposure on off-balance-sheet commitment, including but not limited to, loan commitment, standby letter of credit, financial guarantee not accounted for as insurance. Excludes off-balance sheet credit exposure accounted for as insurance and instrument accounted for under derivatives and hedging.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 460
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121611286&loc=d3e11927-110247

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124255206&loc=SL82919202-210446

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OffBalanceSheetCreditLossLiability
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of expense (reversal of expense) for expected credit loss for off-balance sheet credit exposure. Excludes off-balance sheet credit exposure accounted for as insurance and instrument accounted for under derivatives and hedging.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 13
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124255953&loc=SL82919249-210447

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OffBalanceSheetCreditLossLiabilityCreditLossExpenseReversal
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivablePortfolioSegmentAxis=he_RealEstatePortfolioSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis=us-gaap_HomeEquityLoanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis=he_CommercialConstructionLoanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivablePortfolioSegmentAxis=us-gaap_CommercialPortfolioSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: