Represents the assumed interest rate at inception of the lease, as a percent.

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	opc_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the number of leases for which lease term is extended under the sale and leaseback transaction.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	opc_SaleLeasebackTransactionNumberOfLeasesForWhichLeaseTermIsExtended
Namespace Prefix:	opc_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the number of purchasers whom the entity sells its assets and subsequently leases them back.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	opc_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the percentage of undivided ownership interest of the purchasers in the assets under lease.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	opc_SaleLeasebackTransactionPercentageOfUndividedOwnershipInterestOfPurchasers
Namespace Prefix:	opc_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of capital lease obligation due within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer.

+ 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 FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.20)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 840
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6455314&loc=d3e45023-112735

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 02
-Paragraph 19
-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CapitalLeaseObligationsCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
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 and due to be paid more than one year (or one operating cycle, if longer) after 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 FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 840
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6455314&loc=d3e45023-112735

Reference 3: 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)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
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_CapitalLeasedAssetsLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of minimum lease payments for capital leases.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of minimum lease payments for capital leases due in the next fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of minimum lease payments for capital leases due in the fifth fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of minimum lease payments for capital leases due in the fourth fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of minimum lease payments for capital leases due in the third fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of minimum lease payments for capital leases due in the second fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of minimum lease payments for capital leases due after the fifth fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount necessary to reduce net minimum lease payments to present value for capital leases.

+ References

+ Details

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

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Present value of minimum lease payments for capital leases net of executory costs, including amounts paid by the lessee to the lessor for insurance, maintenance and taxes.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SaleLeasebackTransactionDescriptionAxis=opc_LeaseRenewalPeriodThroughDecember2027Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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Capital leases: (Details) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Capital leases: (Details) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) item	Dec. 31, 1985 item	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Minimum lease payments under the capital leases together with the present value of the net minimum lease payments
Long-term balance	$ 92,096		$ 96,501
Assumed interest rate on lease (as a percent)		11.05%
Lease renewal through December 31, 2027
Capital leases
Number of leases for which lease term is extended \| item	3
Lease renewal through June 30, 2031
Capital leases
Number of leases for which lease term is extended \| item	1
Scherer Unit Number 2
Capital leases
Number of purchasers from which entity sold and leased back assets \| item		4
Percentage of undivided ownership interest of purchasers in assets under lease		60.00%
Minimum lease payments under the capital leases together with the present value of the net minimum lease payments
2017	$ 22,424
2018	14,949
2019	14,949
2020	14,949
2021	14,949
2022-2031	100,380
Total minimum lease payments	182,600
Less: Amount representing interest	(84,069)
Present value of net minimum lease payments	98,531
Less: Current portion	(6,435)
Long-term balance	$ 92,096