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

Amount of contractual obligation to be paid in fifth fiscal year following current fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported from current statement of financial position date (rolling approach).

No definition available.

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

Amount of contractual obligation to be paid in fourth fiscal year following current fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported from current statement of financial position date (rolling approach).

No definition available.

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

Amount of contractual obligation to be paid in next fiscal year following current fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported from current statement of financial position date (rolling approach).

No definition available.

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

Amount of contractual obligation to be paid in second fiscal year following current fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported from current statement of financial position date (rolling approach).

No definition available.

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

Amount of contractual obligation to be paid in third fiscal year following current fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported from current statement of financial position date (rolling approach).

No definition available.

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

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.

No definition available.

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

Name:	ed_AgreementAxis=ed_ElectricityPowerPurchaseAgreementsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	ed_AgreementAxis=ed_NaturalGasMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	ed_AgreementAxis=ed_GasTransportationAndStorageMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: