Revenue (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
Revenue (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2019
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Operating revenues, net	$ 246,762	$ 225,332
Amortization of favorable and unfavorable rate revenue contracts, net	(9,903)	(9,138)
Receivable balances related to PPA contracts	130,100		$ 104,100
Solar
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Operating revenues, net	78,623	57,356
Amortization of favorable and unfavorable rate revenue contracts, net	(2,025)	(1,366)
Wind
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Operating revenues, net	76,567	92,639
Amortization of favorable and unfavorable rate revenue contracts, net	(7,878)	(7,772)
Regulated Solar and Wind
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Operating revenues, net	91,572	75,337
Amortization of favorable and unfavorable rate revenue contracts, net	0	0
PPA rental income
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Operating revenues, net	89,759	95,614
PPA rental income \| Solar
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Operating revenues, net	36,694	37,769
PPA rental income \| Wind
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Operating revenues, net	53,065	57,845
PPA rental income \| Regulated Solar and Wind
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Operating revenues, net	0	0
Commodity derivatives
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Operating revenues, net	5,161	15,609
Commodity derivatives \| Solar
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Operating revenues, net	0	0
Commodity derivatives \| Wind
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Operating revenues, net	5,161	15,609
Commodity derivatives \| Regulated Solar and Wind
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Operating revenues, net	0	0
PPA and market energy revenue
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Operating revenues, net	54,152	54,075
PPA and market energy revenue \| Solar
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Operating revenues, net	16,107	5,604
PPA and market energy revenue \| Wind
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Operating revenues, net	24,603	25,320
PPA and market energy revenue \| Regulated Solar and Wind
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Operating revenues, net	13,442	23,151
Regulated Solar and Wind
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Operating revenues, net	74,600	45,837
Regulated Solar and Wind \| Solar
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Operating revenues, net	0	0
Regulated Solar and Wind \| Wind
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Operating revenues, net	0	0
Regulated Solar and Wind \| Regulated Solar and Wind
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Operating revenues, net	74,600	45,837
Energy revenue
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Operating revenues, net	213,769	201,997
Energy revenue \| Solar
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Operating revenues, net	50,776	42,007
Energy revenue \| Wind
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Operating revenues, net	74,951	91,002
Energy revenue \| Regulated Solar and Wind
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Operating revenues, net	88,042	68,988
Incentive revenue
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Operating revenues, net	32,993	23,335
Incentive revenue \| Solar
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Operating revenues, net	27,847	15,349
Incentive revenue \| Wind
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Operating revenues, net	1,616	1,637
Incentive revenue \| Regulated Solar and Wind
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Operating revenues, net	$ 3,530	$ 6,349

TerraForm Power, Inc. 10-Q