Capital Lease Obligations Annual Minimum Payments of Principal and Interest

No definition available.

Name:	ava_CapitalLeaseObligationsAnnualMinimumPaymentsofPrincipalandInterest
Namespace Prefix:	ava_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Evaluated Power Capacity

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ava_EvaluatedPowerCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	ava_
Data Type:	num:powerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Long Term Revenue Bonds

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ava_LongTermRevenueBonds
Namespace Prefix:	ava_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount equal to the present value (the principal) at the beginning of the lease term of minimum lease payments during the lease term (excluding that portion of the payments representing executory costs such as insurance, maintenance, and taxes to be paid by the lessor, together with any profit thereon) net of payments or other amounts applied to the principal through the balance sheet date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 840
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6455398&loc=d3e45280-112737

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 03
-Paragraph 16
-Article 7

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount before accumulated depreciation of leased physical assets used in the normal conduct of business to produce goods and services.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

The charge for the use of long-lived depreciable capital leased assets for the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 980
-SubTopic 840
-Section 55
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6501752&loc=d3e56872-110439

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 840
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6455314&loc=d3e45031-112735

+ Details

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

- Definition

The financing charge for leasing arrangements meeting the criteria for capitalization.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 840
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6455314&loc=d3e45031-112735

+ Details

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

- Definition

The total charge for the use of long-lived depreciable assets subject to a lease meeting the criteria for capitalization.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 840
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6455314&loc=d3e45014-112735

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 840
-SubTopic 10
-Section 55
-Paragraph 40
-Subparagraph (Note 2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6584154&loc=d3e38371-112697

+ Details

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

- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Difference between the fair value of payments made and the carrying amount of debt which is extinguished prior to maturity.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 50
-Section 40
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49170532&loc=d3e12317-112629

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56944662&loc=d3e3602-108585

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 50
-Section 40
-Paragraph 4
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49170532&loc=d3e12355-112629

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of operating expense for products and services of regulated operation.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 225
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.2(b))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=ava_AlaskaElectricLightPowerMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_CapitalLeaseObligationsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PublicUtilityAxis=ava_PowerpurchaseagreementMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis=us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis=us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=us-gaap_OperatingExpenseMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=ava_AIDEAMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=ava_LongTermRevenueBondsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_NatureOfExpenseAxis=ava_PowerpurchaseagreementMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Long-Term Debt and Capital Leases Long-Term Debt and Capital Leases (Capital Lease Obligations) (Details) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) MW	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Aug. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 1998	Aug. 18, 1998 USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Capital Lease Obligations	$ 68,601	$ 74,149
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	1.29%	1.11%	1.11%		8.45%
Utilities Operating Expense, Products and Services	$ 656,964	$ 678,244	$ 689,586
Alaska Electric Light & Power [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Capital Leased Assets, Gross	71,007	71,007
Capital Leases, Lessee Balance Sheet, Assets by Major Class, Accumulated Depreciation	5,462	1,821
Gains (Losses) on Extinguishment of Debt	3,300
Alaska Electric Light & Power [Member] \| Capital Lease Obligations [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Capital Lease Obligations	64,455
Capital Lease Obligations Annual Minimum Payments of Principal and Interest	$ 5,500
Alaska Electric Light & Power [Member] \| Power purchase agreement [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Evaluated Power Capacity \| MW	78
Carrying Value [Member] \| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] \| Alaska Electric Light & Power [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Capital Lease Obligations	$ 64,455	69,955
Operating Expense [Member] \| Alaska Electric Light & Power [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Capital Leases, Income Statement, Interest Expense	3,587	1,908
Capital Leases, Income Statement, Amortization Expense	3,641	$ 1,821
AIDEA [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long Term Revenue Bonds				$ 65,700		$ 100,000
Minimum [Member] \| AIDEA [Member] \| Long-Term Revenue Bonds [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage				4.00%		4.90%
Maximum [Member] \| AIDEA [Member] \| Long-Term Revenue Bonds [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage				5.00%		6.00%
Power purchase agreement [Member] \| Alaska Electric Light & Power [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Utilities Operating Expense, Products and Services	$ 10,400