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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)
 3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2020
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]  
Consolidation, Policy [Policy Text Block]
Organization

The Company is a holding company with investments in energy and energy services providers offering physical delivery and related services for both electricity and natural gas primarily in the south-central U.S. The Company conducts these activities through two business segments: (i) electric utility and (ii) natural gas midstream operations. The accounts of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries are included in the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements. All intercompany transactions and balances are eliminated in consolidation. The Company generally uses the equity method of accounting for investments where its ownership interest is between 20 percent and 50 percent and it lacks the power to direct activities that most significantly impact economic performance.

The electric utility segment generates, transmits, distributes and sells electric energy in Oklahoma and western Arkansas. Its operations are conducted through OG&E and are subject to regulation by the OCC, the APSC and the FERC. OG&E was incorporated in 1902 under the laws of the Oklahoma Territory and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company. OG&E is the largest electric utility in Oklahoma, and its franchised service territory includes Fort Smith, Arkansas and the surrounding communities. OG&E sold its retail natural gas business in 1928 and is no longer engaged in the natural gas distribution business.

The natural gas midstream operations segment represents the Company's investment in Enable through wholly-owned subsidiaries and ultimately OGE Holdings. Enable was formed in 2013, and its general partner is equally controlled by the Company and CenterPoint, who each have 50 percent management ownership. Based on the 50/50 management ownership, with neither company having control, the Company accounts for its interest in Enable using the equity method of accounting. Enable is primarily engaged in the business of gathering, processing, transporting and storing natural gas. Enable's natural gas gathering and processing assets are strategically located in four states and serve natural gas production in the Anadarko, Arkoma and Ark-La-Tex Basins. Enable also owns crude oil gathering assets in the Anadarko and Williston Basins. Enable has intrastate natural gas transportation and storage assets that are located in Oklahoma as well as interstate assets that extend from western Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle to Louisiana, from Louisiana to Illinois and from Louisiana to Alabama.
Basis of Accounting, Policy [Policy Text Block]
Basis of Presentation

The Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements included herein have been prepared by the Company, without audit, pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations; however, the Company believes that the disclosures are adequate to prevent the information presented from being misleading.
In the opinion of management, all adjustments necessary to fairly present the consolidated financial position of the Company at March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, the consolidated results of its operations for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 and its consolidated cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 have been included and are of a normal, recurring nature except as otherwise disclosed. Management also has evaluated the impact of events occurring after March 31, 2020 up to the date of issuance of these Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements, and these statements contain all necessary adjustments and disclosures resulting from that evaluation.
Due to seasonal fluctuations and other factors, the Company's operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2020 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2020 or for any future period. The Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes thereto should be read in conjunction with the audited Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes thereto included in the Company's
Public Utilities, Policy [Policy Text Block]
Accounting Records

The accounting records of OG&E are maintained in accordance with the Uniform System of Accounts prescribed by the FERC and adopted by the OCC and the APSC. Additionally, OG&E, as a regulated utility, is subject to accounting principles for certain types of rate-regulated activities, which provide that certain incurred costs that would otherwise be charged to expense can be deferred as regulatory assets, based on the expected recovery from customers in future rates. Likewise, certain actual or anticipated credits that would otherwise reduce expense can be deferred as regulatory liabilities, based on the expected flowback to customers in future rates. Management's expected recovery of deferred costs and flowback of deferred credits generally results from specific decisions by regulators granting such ratemaking treatment.

OG&E records certain incurred costs and obligations as regulatory assets or liabilities if, based on regulatory orders or other available evidence, it is probable that the costs or obligations will be included in amounts allowable for recovery or refund in future rates.
Management continuously monitors the future recoverability of regulatory assets. When in management's judgment future recovery becomes impaired, the amount of the regulatory asset is adjusted, as appropriate. If OG&E were required to discontinue the application of accounting principles for certain types of rate-regulated activities for some or all of its operations, it could result in writing off the related regulatory assets or liabilities, which could have significant financial effects.
Equity Method Investments [Policy Text Block] The natural gas midstream operations segment represents the Company's investment in Enable through wholly-owned subsidiaries and ultimately OGE Holdings. Enable was formed in 2013, and its general partner is equally controlled by the Company and CenterPoint, who each have 50 percent management ownership. Based on the 50/50 management ownership, with neither company having control, the Company accounts for its interest in Enable using the equity method of accounting. Enable is primarily engaged in the business of gathering, processing, transporting and storing natural gas. Enable's natural gas gathering and processing assets are strategically located in four states and serve natural gas production in the Anadarko, Arkoma and Ark-La-Tex Basins. Enable also owns crude oil gathering assets in the Anadarko and Williston Basins. Enable has intrastate natural gas transportation and storage assets that are located in Oklahoma as well as interstate assets that extend from western Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle to Louisiana, from Louisiana to Illinois and from Louisiana to Alabama.
Investment in Unconsolidated Affiliates

The Company's investment in Enable is considered to be a variable interest entity because the owners of the equity at risk in this entity have disproportionate voting rights in relation to their obligations to absorb the entity's expected losses or to receive its expected residual returns. However, the Company is not considered the primary beneficiary of Enable since it does not have the power to direct the activities of Enable that are considered most significant to the economic performance of Enable; therefore, the Company accounts for its investment in Enable using the equity method of accounting. Under the equity method, the investment will be adjusted each period for contributions made, distributions received and the Company's share of the investee's comprehensive income as adjusted for basis differences. The Company's maximum exposure to loss related to Enable is limited to the Company's equity investment in Enable at March 31, 2020 as presented in Note 12. The Company evaluates its equity method investments for impairment when events or changes in circumstances indicate there is a loss in value of the investment that is other than a temporary decline. When indicators exist, the fair value is estimated and compared to the investment carrying value, and if any impairment is judgmentally determined to be other than temporary, the carrying value of the investment is written down to fair value.

The Company determined, in connection with the preparation of the financial statements for the three months ended March 31, 2020, that an other than temporary decline in the value of the Company's investment in Enable had occurred. Further information detailing the results of the impairment analysis and fair value measurement can be found in Notes 4 and 5.

The Company considers distributions received from Enable, which do not exceed cumulative equity in earnings subsequent to the date of investment, to be a return on investment and are classified as operating activities in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. The Company considers distributions received from Enable in excess of cumulative equity in earnings subsequent to the date of investment to be a return of investment and are classified as investing activities in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments, Policy [Policy Text Block] The classification of the Company's fair value measurements requires judgment regarding the degree to which market data is observable or corroborated by observable market data. GAAP establishes a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs used to measure fair value based on observable and unobservable data. The hierarchy categorizes the inputs into three levels, with the highest priority given to quoted prices in active markets for identical unrestricted assets or liabilities (Level 1), and the lowest priority given to unobservable inputs (Level 3). Financial assets and liabilities are classified in their entirety based on the
lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. The three levels defined in the fair value hierarchy are as follows:
 
Level 1 inputs are quoted prices in active markets for identical unrestricted assets or liabilities that are accessible at the measurement date.
 
Level 2 inputs are inputs other than quoted prices in active markets included within Level 1 that are either directly or indirectly observable at the reporting date for the asset or liability for substantially the full term of the asset or liability. Level 2 inputs include quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets and quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active.  

Level 3 inputs are prices or valuation techniques for the asset or liability that require inputs that are both significant to the fair value measurement and unobservable (i.e., supported by little or no market activity). Unobservable inputs reflect the reporting entity's own assumptions about the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability (including assumptions about risk). 
The Company had no financial instruments measured at fair value on a recurring basis at March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019. The following table summarizes the carrying amount and fair value ofNonrecurring Fair Value MeasurementsAs further discussed in Note 4, the Company recorded an impairment on its investment in Enable at March 31, 2020. The nonrecurring fair value measurement consisted of calculating a 20-trading day volume weighted average price for Enable's common units through March 31, 2020. This method of valuation was determined to be representative of the fair value of Enable's common units as it incorporates market prices during the period and reduces the impact of volatility that a single day could represent. The Company concluded that this valuation method resulted in a Level 3 nonrecurring fair value measurement
Income Tax, Policy [Policy Text Block] The Company files consolidated income tax returns in the U.S. federal jurisdiction and various state jurisdictions.Income taxes are generally allocated to each company in the affiliated group based on its stand-alone taxable income or loss. Federal investment tax credits previously claimed on electric utility property have been deferred and will be amortized to income over the life of the related property. Additionally, OG&E earns federal tax credits associated with production from its wind facilities. Oklahoma production and investment state tax credits are also earned on investments in electric and solar generating facilities which further reduce the Company's effective tax rate.
Earnings Per Share, Policy [Policy Text Block]
Earnings (Loss) Per Share
 
Basic earnings (loss) per share is calculated by dividing net income (loss) attributable to the Company by the weighted-average number of the Company's common shares outstanding during the period. In the calculation of diluted earnings (loss) per share, weighted-average shares outstanding are increased for additional shares that would be outstanding if potentially dilutive securities were converted to common stock. Potentially dilutive securities for the Company consist of performance units and restricted stock units.
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Policy for Uncollectible Amounts
Allowance for Uncollectible Accounts Receivable

Customer balances are generally written off if not collected within six months after the final billing date. The allowance for uncollectible accounts receivable for OG&E is calculated by multiplying the last six months of electric revenue by the provision rate, which is based on a 12-month historical average of actual balances written off and is adjusted for current conditions and supportable forecasts as necessary. To the extent the historical collection rates, when incorporating forecasted conditions, are not representative of future collections, there could be an effect on the amount of uncollectible expense recognized. Also, a portion of the uncollectible provision related to fuel within the Oklahoma jurisdiction is being recovered through the fuel adjustment clause. The allowance for uncollectible accounts receivable is a reduction to Accounts Receivable in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets and is included in the Other Operation and Maintenance in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income.

New business customers are required to provide a security deposit in the form of cash, bond or irrevocable letter of credit that is refunded when the account is closed. New residential customers whose outside credit scores indicate an elevated risk are required to provide a security deposit that may be refunded based on customer protection rules defined by the OCC and the APSC. The payment behavior of all existing customers is continuously monitored, and, if the payment behavior indicates sufficient risk within the meaning of the applicable utility regulation, customers will be required to provide a security deposit.
The Company considered COVID-19 pandemic impacts when calculating its reserve on accounts receivable as of March 31, 2020, as further discussed in "Item 2. Management's Discussion and Analysis - Recent Developments."