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Contingencies And Commitments (Guarantees) (Details) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Consumers Energy Company [Member]  
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]  
Guarantee Description Indemnity obligations and other guarantees
Expiration Date Various through August 2029
Maximum obligation $ 30us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsMaximumExposure
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= cms_ConsumersEnergyCompanyMember
Carrying Amount 1us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsCurrentCarryingValue
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= cms_ConsumersEnergyCompanyMember
Guarantees [Member]  
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]  
Guarantee Description Guarantees
Expiration Date Various through March 2021
Maximum obligation 51us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsMaximumExposure
/ us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsByNatureAxis
= us-gaap_GuaranteeTypeOtherMember
Indemnity Obligations From Asset Sales And Other Agreements [Member]  
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]  
Guarantee Description Indemnity obligations from asset sales   and other agreements
Expiration Date Various through August 2029
Maximum obligation 148us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsMaximumExposure
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= us-gaap_IndemnificationGuaranteeMember
[1]
Carrying Amount $ 7us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsCurrentCarryingValue
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= us-gaap_IndemnificationGuaranteeMember
[1] The majority of this amount arises from stock and asset sale agreements under which CMS Energy or a subsidiary of CMS Energy, other than Consumers, indemnified the purchaser for losses resulting from various matters, including claims related to tax disputes, claims related to power purchase agreements, and defects in title to the assets or stock sold to the purchaser by CMS Energy subsidiaries. Except for items described elsewhere in this Note, CMS Energy believes the likelihood of material loss to be remote for the indemnity obligations not recorded as liabilities.