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Long-Term Debt Long-Term Debt (Capital Lease Obligations) (Details) (USD $)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Aug. 18, 1998
Debt Instrument [Line Items]        
Utilities Operating Expense, Products and Services $ 678,244,000us-gaap_UtilitiesOperatingExpenseProductsAndServices $ 689,586,000us-gaap_UtilitiesOperatingExpenseProductsAndServices $ 693,127,000us-gaap_UtilitiesOperatingExpenseProductsAndServices  
AIDEA [Member]        
Debt Instrument [Line Items]        
Long Term Revenue Bonds       100,000,000ava_LongTermRevenueBonds
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= ava_AIDEAMember
Alaska Electric Light & Power [Member]        
Debt Instrument [Line Items]        
Capital Leased Assets, Gross 71,000,000us-gaap_CapitalLeasedAssetsGross
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= ava_AlaskaElectricLightPowerMember
     
Capital Leases, Lessee Balance Sheet, Assets by Major Class, Accumulated Depreciation 1,800,000us-gaap_CapitalLeasesLesseeBalanceSheetAssetsByMajorClassAccumulatedDeprecation
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= ava_AlaskaElectricLightPowerMember
     
Alaska Electric Light & Power [Member] | Capital Lease Obligations [Member]        
Debt Instrument [Line Items]        
Capital Lease Obligations Principal Year 1 2,230,000ava_CapitalLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsofPrincipalNextTwelveMonths
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= ava_AlaskaElectricLightPowerMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CapitalLeaseObligationsMember
     
Capital Lease Obligations Principal 69,955,000us-gaap_CapitalLeaseObligations
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= ava_AlaskaElectricLightPowerMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CapitalLeaseObligationsMember
     
Capital Lease Obligations Annual Minimum Payments of Principal and Interest 5,900,000ava_CapitalLeaseObligationsAnnualMinimumPaymentsofPrincipalandInterest
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= ava_AlaskaElectricLightPowerMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CapitalLeaseObligationsMember
     
Capital Leases Obligations Principal Year 2 2,350,000ava_CapitalLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsofPrincipalYearTwo
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= ava_AlaskaElectricLightPowerMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CapitalLeaseObligationsMember
     
Capital Leases Obligations Principal Year 3 2,480,000ava_CapitalLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsofPrincipalYearThree
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= ava_AlaskaElectricLightPowerMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CapitalLeaseObligationsMember
     
Capital Leases Obligations Principal Year 4 2,615,000ava_CapitalLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsofPrincipalYearFour
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= ava_AlaskaElectricLightPowerMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CapitalLeaseObligationsMember
     
Capital Leases Obligations Principal Year 5 2,755,000ava_CapitalLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsofPrincipalYearFive
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= ava_AlaskaElectricLightPowerMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CapitalLeaseObligationsMember
     
Capital Leases Obligations Principal Thereafter 57,525,000ava_CapitalLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsofPrincipalThereafter
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= ava_AlaskaElectricLightPowerMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CapitalLeaseObligationsMember
     
Capital Lease Obligations Interest Year 1 3,690,000ava_CapitalLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsofInterestNextTwelveMonths
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= ava_AlaskaElectricLightPowerMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CapitalLeaseObligationsMember
     
Capital Leases Obligations Interest Year 2 3,567,000ava_CapitalLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsofInterestDueinTwoYears
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= ava_AlaskaElectricLightPowerMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CapitalLeaseObligationsMember
     
Capital Leases Obligations Interest Year 3 3,438,000ava_CapitalLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsofInterestDueinThreeYears
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= ava_AlaskaElectricLightPowerMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CapitalLeaseObligationsMember
     
Capital Leases Obligations Interest Year 4 3,305,000ava_CapitalLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsofInterestDueinFourYears
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= ava_AlaskaElectricLightPowerMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CapitalLeaseObligationsMember
     
Capital Leases Obligations Interest Year 5 3,165,000ava_CapitalLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsofInterestDueinFiveYears
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= ava_AlaskaElectricLightPowerMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CapitalLeaseObligationsMember
     
Capital Leases Obligations Interest Thereafter 25,364,000ava_CapitalLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsofInterestDueThereafter
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= ava_AlaskaElectricLightPowerMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CapitalLeaseObligationsMember
     
Capital Leases Obligations Interest 42,529,000ava_CapitalLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsofInterestDue
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= ava_AlaskaElectricLightPowerMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CapitalLeaseObligationsMember
     
Capital Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Remainder of Fiscal Year 5,920,000us-gaap_CapitalLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsNextRollingTwelveMonths
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= ava_AlaskaElectricLightPowerMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CapitalLeaseObligationsMember
     
Capital Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due in Two Years 5,917,000us-gaap_CapitalLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInTwoYears
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= ava_AlaskaElectricLightPowerMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CapitalLeaseObligationsMember
     
Capital Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due in Three Years 5,918,000us-gaap_CapitalLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInThreeYears
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= ava_AlaskaElectricLightPowerMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CapitalLeaseObligationsMember
     
Capital Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due in Four Years 5,920,000us-gaap_CapitalLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInFourYears
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= ava_AlaskaElectricLightPowerMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CapitalLeaseObligationsMember
     
Capital Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due in Five Years 5,920,000us-gaap_CapitalLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInFiveYears
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= ava_AlaskaElectricLightPowerMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CapitalLeaseObligationsMember
     
Capital Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due Thereafter 82,889,000us-gaap_CapitalLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueThereafter
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= ava_AlaskaElectricLightPowerMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CapitalLeaseObligationsMember
     
Capital Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due 112,484,000us-gaap_CapitalLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDue
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= ava_AlaskaElectricLightPowerMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CapitalLeaseObligationsMember
     
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | Carrying Value [Member] | Alaska Electric Light & Power [Member] | Capital Lease Obligations [Member]        
Debt Instrument [Line Items]        
Capital Lease Obligations Principal 69,955,000us-gaap_CapitalLeaseObligations
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= ava_AlaskaElectricLightPowerMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CapitalLeaseObligationsMember
0us-gaap_CapitalLeaseObligations
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= ava_AlaskaElectricLightPowerMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CapitalLeaseObligationsMember
   
Alaska Electric Light & Power [Member]        
Debt Instrument [Line Items]        
Utilities Operating Expense, Products and Services 5,900,000us-gaap_UtilitiesOperatingExpenseProductsAndServices
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ava_AlaskaElectricLightPowerMember
0us-gaap_UtilitiesOperatingExpenseProductsAndServices
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ava_AlaskaElectricLightPowerMember
0us-gaap_UtilitiesOperatingExpenseProductsAndServices
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ava_AlaskaElectricLightPowerMember
 
Alaska Electric Light & Power [Member] | Power purchase agreement [Member]        
Debt Instrument [Line Items]        
Utilities Operating Expense, Products and Services 10,600,000us-gaap_UtilitiesOperatingExpenseProductsAndServices
/ us-gaap_NatureOfExpenseAxis
= ava_PowerpurchaseagreementMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ava_AlaskaElectricLightPowerMember
     
Alaska Electric Light & Power [Member] | Capital Lease Amortization [Member]        
Debt Instrument [Line Items]        
Utilities Operating Expense, Products and Services 1,800,000us-gaap_UtilitiesOperatingExpenseProductsAndServices
/ us-gaap_NatureOfExpenseAxis
= ava_CapitalLeaseAmortizationMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ava_AlaskaElectricLightPowerMember
     
Alaska Electric Light & Power [Member] | Capital Lease Interest [Member]        
Debt Instrument [Line Items]        
Utilities Operating Expense, Products and Services $ 1,900,000us-gaap_UtilitiesOperatingExpenseProductsAndServices
/ us-gaap_NatureOfExpenseAxis
= ava_CapitalLeaseInterestMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ava_AlaskaElectricLightPowerMember
     
Minimum [Member] | AIDEA [Member]        
Debt Instrument [Line Items]        
Long Term Revenue Bonds Stated Interest Rate       4.85%ava_LongTermRevenueBondsStatedInterestRate
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= ava_AIDEAMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
Maximum [Member] | AIDEA [Member]        
Debt Instrument [Line Items]        
Long Term Revenue Bonds Stated Interest Rate       6.00%ava_LongTermRevenueBondsStatedInterestRate
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= ava_AIDEAMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember