Schedule I - Condensed Parent Company Finanical Statements (Details-Comprehensive Income Statement Parentheticals) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Unrealized gain (loss) on available-for-sale securities, taxes expense (benefit)	$ 0	$ 117	$ (104)
MGE Energy [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Unrealized gain (loss) on available-for-sale securities, taxes expense (benefit)	$ 0	$ 117	$ (104)

Amount of tax expense (benefit) before reclassification adjustments of unrealized holding gain (loss) on available-for-sale securities.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 12
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114867106&loc=d3e640-108580

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 10A
-Subparagraph (f)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114867106&loc=SL7669646-108580

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