Financial Risk Management Activities (Schedule Of Derivative Instruments Fair Value In Balance Sheets) (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative Contracts, Current Assets	$ 138		$ 156
Derivative Contracts, Noncurrent Assets	153		106
Total Mark-to-Market Derivative Assets	291		262
Derivative Contracts, Current Liabilities	(46)		(131)
Derivative Contracts, Noncurrent Liabilities	(122)		(26)
Total Mark-to-Market Derivative (Liabilities)	(168)		(157)
Net Mark-to-Market Derivative Assets (Liabilities)	123		105
Net cash collateral received in connection with net derivative contracts	2		82
Power [Member]
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Amount of Pre-Tax Gain (Loss) attributed to Cash Flow Hedges Recognized in AOCI on Derivatives (Effective Portion)	28		80		102
Cash Flow Hedge Gain (Loss) Reclassified to Earnings, Net	70		215		220
Derivative Contracts, Current Assets	118		139
Derivative Contracts, Noncurrent Assets	49		55
Total Mark-to-Market Derivative Assets	167		194
Derivative Contracts, Current Liabilities	(46)		(124)
Derivative Contracts, Noncurrent Liabilities	(15)		(24)
Total Mark-to-Market Derivative (Liabilities)	(61)		(148)
Net Mark-to-Market Derivative Assets (Liabilities)	106		46
Gain (Loss) on Cash Flow Hedge Ineffectiveness, Net	1		(2)		1
Power [Member] | Netting [Member]
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative Contracts, Current Assets	(217)	[1]	(448)	[1]
Derivative Contracts, Noncurrent Assets	(26)	[1]	(74)	[1]
Total Mark-to-Market Derivative Assets	(243)	[1]	(522)	[1]
Derivative Contracts, Current Liabilities	219	[1]	387	[1]
Derivative Contracts, Noncurrent Liabilities	26	[1]	53	[1]
Total Mark-to-Market Derivative (Liabilities)	245	[1]	440	[1]
Net Mark-to-Market Derivative Assets (Liabilities)	2	[1]	(82)	[1]
Power [Member] | Energy-Related Contracts [Member] | Cash Flow Hedging [Member]
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative Contracts, Current Assets	3		55
Derivative Contracts, Noncurrent Assets	0		8
Total Mark-to-Market Derivative Assets	3		63
Derivative Contracts, Current Liabilities	0		(5)
Derivative Contracts, Noncurrent Liabilities	0		(1)
Total Mark-to-Market Derivative (Liabilities)	0		(6)
Net Mark-to-Market Derivative Assets (Liabilities)	3		57
PSE&G [Member]
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative Contracts, Current Assets	5		0
Derivative Contracts, Noncurrent Assets	62		4
Derivative Contracts, Current Liabilities	0		(7)
Derivative Contracts, Noncurrent Liabilities	(107)		0
PSEG [Member]
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Amount of Pre-Tax Gain (Loss) attributed to Cash Flow Hedges Recognized in AOCI on Derivatives (Effective Portion)	28	[2]	80	[2]	102	[2]
Cash Flow Hedge Gain (Loss) Reclassified to Earnings, Net	70	[2]	214	[2]	219	[2]
Gain (Loss) on Cash Flow Hedge Ineffectiveness, Net	1	[2]	(2)	[2]	1	[2]
PSEG [Member] | Interest Rate Swap [Member] | Fair Value Hedging [Member]
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative Contracts, Current Assets	15		17
Derivative Contracts, Noncurrent Assets	42		47
Total Mark-to-Market Derivative Assets	57		64
Derivative Contracts, Current Liabilities	0		0
Derivative Contracts, Noncurrent Liabilities	0		(2)
Total Mark-to-Market Derivative (Liabilities)	0		(2)
Net Mark-to-Market Derivative Assets (Liabilities)	57		62
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Power [Member] | Energy-Related Contracts [Member]
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative Contracts, Current Assets	332		532
Derivative Contracts, Noncurrent Assets	75		121
Total Mark-to-Market Derivative Assets	407		653
Derivative Contracts, Current Liabilities	(265)		(506)
Derivative Contracts, Noncurrent Liabilities	(41)		(76)
Total Mark-to-Market Derivative (Liabilities)	(306)		(582)
Net Mark-to-Market Derivative Assets (Liabilities)	101		71
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | PSE&G [Member] | Energy-Related Contracts [Member]
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative Contracts, Current Assets	5		0
Derivative Contracts, Noncurrent Assets	62		4
Total Mark-to-Market Derivative Assets	67		4
Derivative Contracts, Current Liabilities	0		(7)
Derivative Contracts, Noncurrent Liabilities	(107)		0
Total Mark-to-Market Derivative (Liabilities)	(107)		(7)
Net Mark-to-Market Derivative Assets (Liabilities)	(40)		(3)
Current Assets [Member]
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Net cash collateral received in connection with net derivative contracts	(3)		(77)
Noncurrent Assets [Member]
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Net cash collateral received in connection with net derivative contracts			(23)
Current Liabilities [Member]
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Net cash collateral received in connection with net derivative contracts	5		16
Noncurrent Liabilities [Member]
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Net cash collateral received in connection with net derivative contracts			2
Operating Revenues [Member] | Energy-Related Contracts [Member] | Power [Member]
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Amount of Pre-Tax Gain (Loss) attributed to Cash Flow Hedges Recognized in AOCI on Derivatives (Effective Portion)	32		84		101
Amount of Pre-Tax Gain (Loss) attributed to Cash Flow Hedges Reclassified from AOCI into Operating Revenues (Effective Portion)	79		213		222
Gain (Loss) on Cash Flow Hedge Ineffectiveness, Net	1		(2)		1
Operating Revenues [Member] | Energy-Related Contracts [Member] | PSEG [Member]
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Amount of Pre-Tax Gain (Loss) attributed to Cash Flow Hedges Recognized in AOCI on Derivatives (Effective Portion)	32	[2]	84	[2]	101	[2]
Amount of Pre-Tax Gain (Loss) attributed to Cash Flow Hedges Reclassified from AOCI into Operating Revenues (Effective Portion)	79	[2]	213	[2]	222	[2]
Gain (Loss) on Cash Flow Hedge Ineffectiveness, Net	1	[2]	(2)	[2]	1	[2]
Energy Costs [Member] | Energy-Related Contracts [Member] | Power [Member]
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Amount of Pre-Tax Gain (Loss) attributed to Cash Flow Hedges Recognized in AOCI on Derivatives (Effective Portion)	(4)		(4)		1
Amount of Pre-Tax Gain (Loss) attributed to Cash Flow Hedges Reclassified from AOCI into Energy Costs (Effective Portion)	(9)		2		(2)
Gain (Loss) on Cash Flow Hedge Ineffectiveness, Net	0		0		0
Energy Costs [Member] | Energy-Related Contracts [Member] | PSEG [Member]
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Amount of Pre-Tax Gain (Loss) attributed to Cash Flow Hedges Recognized in AOCI on Derivatives (Effective Portion)	(4)	[2]	(4)	[2]	1	[2]
Amount of Pre-Tax Gain (Loss) attributed to Cash Flow Hedges Reclassified from AOCI into Energy Costs (Effective Portion)	(9)	[2]	2	[2]	(2)	[2]
Gain (Loss) on Cash Flow Hedge Ineffectiveness, Net	0	[2]	0	[2]	0	[2]
Interest Expense [Member] | Interest Rate Swap [Member] | PSEG [Member]
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Amount of Pre-Tax Gain (Loss) attributed to Cash Flow Hedges Recognized in AOCI on Derivatives (Effective Portion)	0	[2]	0	[2]	0	[2]
Amount of gain (loss) attributed to cash flow hedges reclassified from AOCI into Earnings (effective portion)	0	[2]	(1)	[2]	(1)	[2]
Gain (Loss) on Cash Flow Hedge Ineffectiveness, Net	$ 0	[2]	$ 0	[2]	$ 0	[2]

[1] Represents the netting of fair value balances with the same counterparty (where the right of offset exists) and the application of collateral. As of December 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, net cash collateral paid of $2 million and net cash collateral received of $82 million, respectively, was netted against the corresponding net derivative contract positions. Of the $2 million as of December 31, 2012, cash collateral of $(3) million was netted against current assets and cash collateral of $5 million was netted against current liabilities. Of the $82 million as of December 31, 2011, cash collateral of $(77) million and $(23) million were netted against current assets and noncurrent assets, respectively, and cash collateral of $16 million and $2 million were netted against current liabilities and noncurrent liabilities, respectively.

[2] Includes amounts for PSEG parent.