Regulatory Assets and Liabilities - Amount of regulatory assets and liabilities recorded on consolidated balance sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands | 6 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended |
Jun. 30, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2015 |
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items] | | | |
Regulatory Asset - Current | | $ 17,205 | $ 18,904 |
Regulatory Liability - Current | | 6,291 | 3,322 |
Net Regulatory Assets Position - Current | | 10,914 | 15,582 |
Regulatory Assets - Long-Term | | 123,706 | 127,707 |
Regulatory Liabilities - Long-Term | | 77,915 | 77,432 |
Net Regulatory Asset Position - Long-Term | | 45,791 | 50,275 |
Regulatory Assets - Total | | 140,911 | 146,611 |
Regulatory Liabilities - Total | | 84,206 | 80,754 |
Net Regulatory Asset Position - Total | | 56,705 | 65,857 |
Prior Service Costs and Actuarial Losses on Pensions and Other Postretirement Benefits | | | |
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items] | | | |
Regulatory Asset - Current | [1] | 7,439 | 7,439 |
Regulatory Assets - Long-Term | [1] | 96,523 | 99,293 |
Regulatory Assets - Total | [1] | $ 103,962 | $ 106,732 |
Regulatory Assets - Remaining Recovery/Refund Period | [1] | see below | see below |
Deferred Marked-to-Market Loss | | | |
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items] | | | |
Regulatory Asset - Current | [1] | $ 4,063 | $ 4,063 |
Regulatory Assets - Long-Term | [1] | 8,499 | 10,530 |
Regulatory Assets - Total | [1] | $ 12,562 | $ 14,593 |
Regulatory Assets - Remaining Recovery/Refund Period | [1] | 54 months | 60 months |
Conservation Improvement Program Costs and Incentives | | | |
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items] | | | |
Regulatory Asset - Current | [2] | $ 1,313 | $ 4,411 |
Regulatory Assets - Long-Term | [2] | 6,016 | 4,266 |
Regulatory Assets - Total | [2] | $ 7,329 | $ 8,677 |
Regulatory Assets - Remaining Recovery/Refund Period | [2] | 24 months | 18 months |
Accumulated ARO Accretion/Depreciation Adjustment | | | |
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items] | | | |
Regulatory Asset - Current | [1] | | |
Regulatory Assets - Long-Term | [1] | 5,911 | 5,672 |
Regulatory Assets - Total | [1] | $ 5,911 | $ 5,672 |
Regulatory Assets - Remaining Recovery/Refund Period | [1] | asset lives | asset lives |
Big Stone II Unrecovered Project Costs - Minnesota | | | |
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items] | | | |
Regulatory Asset - Current | [1] | $ 648 | $ 942 |
Regulatory Assets - Long-Term | [1] | 2,646 | 2,620 |
Regulatory Assets - Total | [1] | $ 3,294 | $ 3,562 |
Regulatory Assets - Remaining Recovery/Refund Period | [1] | 58 months | 84 months |
Minnesota Transmission Cost Recovery Rider Accrued Revenues | | | |
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items] | | | |
Regulatory Asset - Current | [2] | | $ 576 |
Regulatory Assets - Long-Term | [2] | | |
Regulatory Assets - Total | [2] | | $ 576 |
Regulatory Assets - Remaining Recovery/Refund Period | [2] | | 12 months |
North Dakota Renewable Resource Rider Accrued Revenues | | | |
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items] | | | |
Regulatory Asset - Current | [2] | $ 1,894 | |
Regulatory Assets - Long-Term | [2] | 684 | 1,266 |
Regulatory Assets - Total | [2] | $ 2,578 | $ 1,266 |
Regulatory Assets - Remaining Recovery/Refund Period | [2] | 21 months | 15 months |
Debt Reacquisition Premiums | | | |
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items] | | | |
Regulatory Asset - Current | [1] | $ 351 | $ 351 |
Regulatory Assets - Long-Term | [1] | 1,364 | 1,539 |
Regulatory Assets - Total | [1] | $ 1,715 | $ 1,890 |
Regulatory Assets - Remaining Recovery/Refund Period | [1] | 195 months | 201 months |
Deferred Income Taxes | | | |
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items] | | | |
Regulatory Asset - Current | [1] | | |
Regulatory Liability - Current | | | |
Regulatory Assets - Long-Term | [1] | 1,247 | 1,455 |
Regulatory Liabilities - Long-Term | | 978 | 1,110 |
Regulatory Assets - Total | [1] | 1,247 | 1,455 |
Regulatory Liabilities - Total | | $ 978 | $ 1,110 |
Regulatory Assets - Remaining Recovery/Refund Period | [1] | asset lives | asset lives |
Regulatory Liabilities - Remaining Recovery/Refund Period | | asset lives | asset lives |
MISO Schedule 26/26A Transmission Cost Recovery Rider True-up | | | |
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items] | | | |
Regulatory Asset - Current | [2] | $ 616 | $ 698 |
Regulatory Liability - Current | | | |
Regulatory Assets - Long-Term | [2] | 166 | 355 |
Regulatory Liabilities - Long-Term | | 86 | |
Regulatory Assets - Total | [2] | 782 | $ 1,053 |
Regulatory Liabilities - Total | | $ 86 | |
Regulatory Assets - Remaining Recovery/Refund Period | [2] | 24 months | 24 months |
Regulatory Liabilities - Remaining Recovery/Refund Period | | 24 months | |
Big Stone II Unrecovered Project Costs - South Dakota | | | |
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items] | | | |
Regulatory Asset - Current | [2] | $ 100 | $ 100 |
Regulatory Assets - Long-Term | [2] | 593 | 643 |
Regulatory Assets - Total | [2] | $ 693 | $ 743 |
Regulatory Assets - Remaining Recovery/Refund Period | [2] | 83 months | 89 months |
Minnesota Environmental Cost Recovery Rider Accrued Refund | | | |
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items] | | | |
Regulatory Liability - Current | | $ 644 | $ 777 |
Regulatory Liabilities - Long-Term | | | |
Regulatory Liabilities - Total | | $ 644 | $ 777 |
Regulatory Liabilities - Remaining Recovery/Refund Period | | 12 months | 12 months |
Minnesota Renewable Resource Rider Accrued Revenues | | | |
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items] | | | |
Regulatory Asset - Current | [2] | | |
Regulatory Assets - Long-Term | [2] | 57 | 68 |
Regulatory Assets - Total | [2] | $ 57 | $ 68 |
Regulatory Assets - Remaining Recovery/Refund Period | [2] | | see below |
Regulatory Assets - Remaining Recovery/Refund Period | [2] | 15 months | |
Accumulated Reserve for Estimated Removal Costs - Net of Salvage | | | |
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items] | | | |
Regulatory Liability - Current | | | |
Regulatory Liabilities - Long-Term | | 76,196 | 74,948 |
Regulatory Liabilities - Total | | $ 76,196 | $ 74,948 |
Regulatory Liabilities - Remaining Recovery/Refund Period | | asset lives | asset lives |
North Dakota Renewable Resource Rider Accrued Refund | | | |
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items] | | | |
Regulatory Liability - Current | | | $ 68 |
Regulatory Liabilities - Long-Term | | | |
Regulatory Liabilities - Total | | | $ 68 |
Regulatory Liabilities - Remaining Recovery/Refund Period | | | 12 months |
Revenue for Rate Case expenses Subject to Refund - Minnesota | | | |
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items] | | | |
Regulatory Liability - Current | | $ 712 | |
Regulatory Liabilities - Long-Term | | 563 | 1,279 |
Regulatory Liabilities - Total | | $ 1,275 | $ 1,279 |
Regulatory Liabilities - Remaining Recovery/Refund Period | | | see below |
Regulatory Liabilities - Remaining Recovery/Refund Period | | 22 months | |
Deferred Gain on Sale of Utility Property - Minnesota Portion | | | |
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items] | | | |
Regulatory Liability - Current | | | $ 5 |
Regulatory Liabilities - Long-Term | | | 95 |
Regulatory Liabilities - Total | | | $ 100 |
Regulatory Liabilities - Remaining Recovery/Refund Period | | | 216 months |
South Dakota Environmental Cost Recovery Rider Accrued Refund | | | |
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items] | | | |
Regulatory Liability - Current | | $ 334 | $ 185 |
Regulatory Liabilities - Long-Term | | | |
Regulatory Liabilities - Total | | $ 334 | $ 185 |
Regulatory Liabilities - Remaining Recovery/Refund Period | | 12 months | 12 months |
Minnesota Deferred Rate Case Expenses Subject to Recovery | | | |
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items] | | | |
Regulatory Asset - Current | [1] | $ 458 | $ 291 |
Regulatory Assets - Long-Term | [1] | | |
Regulatory Assets - Total | [1] | $ 458 | $ 291 |
Regulatory Assets - Remaining Recovery/Refund Period | [1] | 12 months | 12 months |
South Dakota Transmission Cost Recovery Rider Accrued Revenues | | | |
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items] | | | |
Regulatory Asset - Current | [2] | $ 323 | $ 33 |
Regulatory Assets - Long-Term | [2] | | |
Regulatory Assets - Total | [2] | $ 323 | $ 33 |
Regulatory Assets - Remaining Recovery/Refund Period | [2] | 12 months | 12 months |
Refundable Fuel Clause Adjustment Revenues | | | |
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items] | | | |
Regulatory Liability - Current | | $ 2,619 | $ 1,834 |
Regulatory Liabilities - Long-Term | | | |
Regulatory Liabilities - Total | | $ 2,619 | $ 1,834 |
Regulatory Liabilities - Remaining Recovery/Refund Period | | 12 months | 12 months |
North Dakota Transmission Cost Recovery Rider Accrued Refund | | | |
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items] | | | |
Regulatory Liability - Current | | $ 700 | $ 132 |
Regulatory Liabilities - Long-Term | | | |
Regulatory Liabilities - Total | | $ 700 | $ 132 |
Regulatory Liabilities - Remaining Recovery/Refund Period | | 12 months | 12 months |
North Dakota Environmental Cost Recovery Rider Accrued Refund | | | |
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items] | | | |
Regulatory Liability - Current | | $ 609 | $ 321 |
Regulatory Liabilities - Long-Term | | | |
Regulatory Liabilities - Total | | $ 609 | $ 321 |
Regulatory Liabilities - Remaining Recovery/Refund Period | | 12 months | 12 months |
Minnesota Transmission Cost Recovery Rider Accrued Refund | | | |
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items] | | | |
Regulatory Liability - Current | | $ 642 | |
Regulatory Liabilities - Long-Term | | | |
Regulatory Liabilities - Total | | $ 642 | |
Regulatory Liabilities - Remaining Recovery/Refund Period | | 12 months | |
Other | | | |
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Line Items] | | | |
Regulatory Liability - Current | | $ 31 | |
Regulatory Liabilities - Long-Term | | 92 | |
Regulatory Liabilities - Total | | $ 123 | |
Regulatory Liabilities - Remaining Recovery/Refund Period | | 210 months | |
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[1] | Costs subject to recovery without a rate of return. | |
[2] | Amount eligible for recovery under an alternative revenue program which includes an incentive or rate of return. | |