Share-based compensation - Summary of income taxes (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019
Share-based compensation
Share-based compensation expense	$ 1.4	$ 2.3	$ 5.4	$ 8.1
Income tax benefit	0.2	0.3	0.9	1.2
Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Share-based compensation
Share-based compensation expense	0.0	0.8	1.2	2.6
Income tax benefit	$ 0.0	$ 0.1	$ 0.3	$ 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
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-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
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-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
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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120381028&loc=d3e5070-113901

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