Investment Securities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Investments, Debt and Equity Securities [Abstract]
Gross unrealized losses greater than one year	$ 19,604	$ 22,352
Percent of gross unrealized losses which have been unrealized for greater than one year	37.00%	86.00%
Gross unrealized losses less than one year	$ 123,735	$ 69,597
Cost
Equity	255,154	258,870
Debt	428,691	354,535
Other	8,104	6,356
Total	691,949	619,761
Gains
Equity	68,633	144,832
Debt	17,399	8,474
Other	0	0
Total	86,032	153,306
Losses
Equity	(19,685)	(5,990)
Debt	(6,064)	(874)
Other	0	0
Total	(25,749)	(6,864)
Fair Value
Equity	304,102	397,712
Debt	440,026	362,135
Other	8,104	6,356
Total	$ 752,232	$ 766,203

n/a

No definition available.

Name:	opc_DebtAndEquitySecuritiesUnrealizedGainAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	opc_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

n/a

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	opc_DebtAndEquitySecuritiesUnrealizedLossAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	opc_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of investment in debt and equity securities measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in net income, in continuous unrealized loss position for more than 12 months..

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	opc_DebtSecuritiesTradingAndEquitySecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLonger
Namespace Prefix:	opc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of investment in debt and equity securities measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in net income, in continuous unrealized loss position for more than 12 months, as a percent of total gross unrealized losses.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	opc_DebtSecuritiesTradingAndEquitySecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerPercent
Namespace Prefix:	opc_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of investment in debt and equity securities measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in net income, in continuous unrealized loss position for less than 12 months.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	opc_DebtSecuritiesTradingAndEquitySecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12Months
Namespace Prefix:	opc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of unrealized gain on investment in debt and equity securities measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in net income.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	opc_DebtSecuritiesTradingAndEquitySecuritiesUnrealizedGain
Namespace Prefix:	opc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of unrealized loss on investment in debt and equity securities measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in net income.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	opc_DebtSecuritiesTradingAndEquitySecuritiesUnrealizedLoss
Namespace Prefix:	opc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Other Securities, FV-NI, Unrealized Loss

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	opc_OtherSecuritiesFVNIUnrealizedLoss
Namespace Prefix:	opc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of investment in other securities measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in net income (FV-NI).

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	opc_OtherSecuritiesFvNi
Namespace Prefix:	opc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Cost of investment in other securities measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in net income (FV-NI). Excludes equity method investment and investment in equity security without readily determinable fair value.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	opc_OtherSecuritiesFvNiCost
Namespace Prefix:	opc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of unrealized gain on investment in other securities measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in net income (FV-NI).

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	opc_OtherSecuritiesFvNiUnrealizedGain
Namespace Prefix:	opc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Cost of investment in debt investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in net income (trading) and investment in equity security with change in fair value recognized in net income (FV-NI). Excludes equity method investment and investment in equity security without readily determinable fair value.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesTradingAndEquitySecuritiesFvNiCost
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of unrealized gain on investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in net income (trading).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 9
-Subparagraph (e)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82897076&loc=d3e27357-111563

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesTradingUnrealizedGain
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of unrealized loss on investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in net income (trading).

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of investment in equity security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in net income (FV-NI).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 825
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1A
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=99377092&loc=SL75136599-209740

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesFvNi
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Cost of investment in equity security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in net income (FV-NI). Excludes equity method investment and investment in equity security without readily determinable fair value.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesFvNiCost
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of unrealized gain on investment in equity security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in net income (FV-NI).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 321
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84241550&loc=SL75117546-209714

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesFvNiUnrealizedGain
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of unrealized loss on investment in equity security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in net income (FV-NI).

+ References

+ Details

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

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in net income (trading) and investment in equity security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in net income (FV-NI).

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.4)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_TradingSecurities
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in net income (trading).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109979856&loc=d3e26610-111562

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109979856&loc=d3e26610-111562

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_TradingSecuritiesDebt
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amortized cost of investments in debt securities classified as trading.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_TradingSecuritiesDebtAmortizedCost
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant