Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) (Unaudited) (USD $)	Jun. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Current Assets
Other Temporary Investments	$ 311,000,000	$ 416,000,000
Fuel	680,000,000	837,000,000
Property, Plant and Equipment
Other Property, Plant and Equipment	3,870,000,000	3,846,000,000
Accumulated Depreciation and Amortization	18,605,000,000	18,066,000,000
Current Liabilities
Long-term Debt Due Within One Year	1,071,000,000	1,309,000,000
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term Debt	15,564,000,000	15,502,000,000
Equity
Common Stock, Par Value Per Share	$ 6.50	$ 6.50
Common Stock, Shares Authorized	600,000,000	600,000,000
Common Stock, Shares, Issued	502,534,747	501,114,881
Treasury Stock, Shares	20,307,725	20,307,725
Appalachian Power Co [Member]
Current Assets
Fuel	142,478,000	230,697,000
Property, Plant and Equipment
Other Property, Plant and Equipment	351,076,000	348,013,000
Accumulated Depreciation and Amortization	2,927,174,000	2,843,087,000
Current Liabilities
Long-term Debt Due Within One Year	229,673,000	479,672,000
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term Debt	3,496,213,000	3,081,469,000
Equity
Common Stock, Par Value Per Share	$ 0	$ 0
Common Stock, Shares Authorized	30,000,000	30,000,000
Common Stock, Shares Outstanding	13,499,500	13,499,500
Columbus Southern Power Co [Member]
Current Assets
Fuel	59,842,000	72,882,000
Property, Plant and Equipment
Other Property, Plant and Equipment	204,858,000	203,593,000
Accumulated Depreciation and Amortization	1,989,614,000	1,927,112,000
Current Liabilities
Long-term Debt Due Within One Year	194,500,000	0
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term Debt	1,244,469,000	1,438,830,000
Equity
Common Stock, Par Value Per Share	$ 0	$ 0
Common Stock, Shares Authorized	24,000,000	24,000,000
Common Stock, Shares Outstanding	16,410,426	16,410,426
Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member]
Current Assets
Fuel	66,889,000	87,551,000
Property, Plant and Equipment
Other Property, Plant and Equipment	747,303,000	719,708,000
Accumulated Depreciation and Amortization	3,180,526,000	3,124,998,000
Current Liabilities
Long-term Debt Due Within One Year	151,100,000	154,457,000
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term Debt	1,813,994,000	1,849,769,000
Equity
Common Stock, Par Value Per Share	$ 0	$ 0
Common Stock, Shares Authorized	2,500,000	2,500,000
Common Stock, Shares Outstanding	1,400,000	1,400,000
Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member] | DCC Fuel [Member]
Current Liabilities
Long-term Debt Due Within One Year	74,100,000	77,457,000
Ohio Power Co [Member]
Current Assets
Fuel	219,150,000	257,289,000
Property, Plant and Equipment
Other Property, Plant and Equipment	357,456,000	359,254,000
Accumulated Depreciation and Amortization	3,764,752,000	3,606,777,000
Current Liabilities
Long-term Debt Due Within One Year	50,000,000	165,000,000
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term Debt	2,364,781,000	2,364,522,000
Equity
Common Stock, Par Value Per Share	$ 0	$ 0
Common Stock, Shares Authorized	40,000,000	40,000,000
Common Stock, Shares Outstanding	27,952,473	27,952,473
Public Service Co Of Oklahoma [Member]
Current Assets
Fuel	21,806,000	20,176,000
Property, Plant and Equipment
Other Property, Plant and Equipment	237,963,000	235,406,000
Accumulated Depreciation and Amortization	1,290,500,000	1,255,064,000
Current Liabilities
Long-term Debt Due Within One Year	233,000	25,000,000
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term Debt	945,417,000	946,186,000
Equity
Common Stock, Par Value Per Share	$ 15	$ 15
Common Stock, Shares Authorized	11,000,000	11,000,000
Common Stock, Shares, Issued	10,482,000	10,482,000
Common Stock, Shares Outstanding	9,013,000	9,013,000
Southwestern Electric Power Co [Member]
Current Assets
Fuel	96,458,000	91,777,000
Property, Plant and Equipment
Other Property, Plant and Equipment	636,532,000	632,158,000
Accumulated Depreciation and Amortization	2,183,940,000	2,130,351,000
Current Liabilities
Long-term Debt Due Within One Year	61,135,000	41,135,000
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term Debt	1,708,511,000	1,728,385,000
Equity
Common Stock, Par Value Per Share	$ 18	$ 18
Common Stock, Shares Authorized	7,600,000	7,600,000
Common Stock, Shares Outstanding	7,536,640	7,536,640
Southwestern Electric Power Co [Member] | Sabine Mining Co [Member]
Current Assets
Fuel	30,966,000	35,055,000
Property, Plant and Equipment
Other Property, Plant and Equipment	229,068,000	224,857,000
Accumulated Depreciation and Amortization	96,217,000	91,840,000
AEP Subsidiaries [Member]
Current Assets
Other Temporary Investments	250,000,000	287,000,000
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term Debt	$ 1,703,000,000	$ 1,857,000,000