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Commitments and Contingencies (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)
Dec. 31, 2014
Guarantee Obligations [Line Items]  
Additional bonding capacity $ 288,100,000powl_CommitmentsAndContingenciesAdditionalBondingCapacity
Powell (UK) Limited  
Guarantee Obligations [Line Items]  
Guarantee liability 3,900,000us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsCurrentCarryingValue
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= powl_PowellUKLimitedMember
Revolving credit facility 15,500,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= powl_PowellUKLimitedMember
Amount of credit facility remaining borrowing capacity 11,600,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityRemainingBorrowingCapacity
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= powl_PowellUKLimitedMember
Financial Standby Letter of Credit  
Guarantee Obligations [Line Items]  
Guarantee liability 18,300,000us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsCurrentCarryingValue
/ us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsByNatureAxis
= us-gaap_FinancialStandbyLetterOfCreditMember
Performance Guarantee  
Guarantee Obligations [Line Items]  
Guarantee liability $ 311,900,000us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsCurrentCarryingValue
/ us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsByNatureAxis
= us-gaap_PerformanceGuaranteeMember