Income Taxes (Narrative) (Detail) (USD $)	0 Months Ended			12 Months Ended	2 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		16 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
	Jun. 26, 2009	Sep. 15, 2008	Dec. 17, 2007	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2010 PSEG [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 PSEG [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 PSEG [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 PSEG [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Power [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Power [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Power [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 PSE&G [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 PSE&G [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 PSE&G [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 New Jersey [Member]
Component of Other Expense, Nonoperating [Line Items]
Net operating loss carryforwards															$ 1,500,000,000
Deferred Tax Assets, Operating Loss Carryforwards															87,000,000
Federal income tax rate						35.00%			35.00%			35.00%
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, State and Local Income Taxes						9.00%
Deferred tax recorded related to health care reform							9,000,000
Amortization of regulatory asset													78,000,000
Bonus depreciation for tax purposes					50.00%	50.00%		100.00%
Amount of unrecognized tax benefits that would affect the effective tax rate					408,000,000	108,000,000	408,000,000	426,000,000	41,000,000	44,000,000	34,000,000	0	28,000,000	28,000,000
Tax deposit	140,000,000	80,000,000	100,000,000
Amount of refundable deposits with IRS				320,000,000
Decrease in unrecognized tax benefits reasonably likely to increase or decrease within one year						$ 97,000,000						$ 43,000,000