Variable Interest Entities (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

Consolidated Assets and Liabilities of Variable Interest Entities [Table Text Block]

AMERICAN ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES
VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES
December 31, 2012
(in millions)
									TCC
	SWEPCo		I&M		Protected Cell				Transition
	Sabine		DCC Fuel		of EIS		AEP Credit		Funding
ASSETS
Current Assets	$	57	$	133	$	130	$	843	$	250
Net Property, Plant and Equipment		170		176		-		-		-
Other Noncurrent Assets		55		92		4		1		2,167	(a)
Total Assets	$	282	$	401	$	134	$	844	$	2,417
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Current Liabilities	$	32	$	121	$	43	$	800	$	304
Noncurrent Liabilities		250		280		66		1		2,095
Equity		-		-		25		43		18
Total Liabilities and Equity	$	282	$	401	$	134	$	844	$	2,417

(a) Includes an intercompany item eliminated in consolidation of $89 million.

AMERICAN ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES
VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES
December 31, 2011
(in millions)
									TCC
	SWEPCo		I&M		Protected Cell				Transition
	Sabine		DCC Fuel		of EIS		AEP Credit		Funding
ASSETS
Current Assets	$	48	$	118	$	121	$	910	$	220
Net Property, Plant and Equipment		154		188		-		-		-
Other Noncurrent Assets		42		118		6		1		1,580
Total Assets	$	244	$	424	$	127	$	911	$	1,800
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Current Liabilities	$	68	$	103	$	40	$	864	$	229
Noncurrent Liabilities		176		321		71		1		1,557
Equity		-		-		16		46		14
Total Liabilities and Equity	$	244	$	424	$	127	$	911	$	1,800

Dolet Hills Lignite Co, LLC [Member]

Companys Investment In Joint Venture

	December 31,
	2012				2011
	As Reported on		Maximum		As Reported on		Maximum
	the Balance Sheet		Exposure		the Balance Sheet		Exposure
	(in millions)
Capital Contribution from SWEPCo	$	8	$	8	$	8	$	8
Retained Earnings		1		1		1		1
SWEPCo's Guarantee of Debt		-		49		-		52
Total Investment in DHLC	$	9	$	58	$	9	$	61

PATH West Virginia Transmission Co, LLC [Member]

Companys Investment In Joint Venture

	December 31,
	2012					2011
	As Reported on			Maximum		As Reported on		Maximum
	the Balance Sheet			Exposure		the Balance Sheet		Exposure
			(in millions)
Capital Contribution from AEP	$	19		$	19	$	19	$	19
Retained Earnings		12			12		10		10
Total Investment in PATH-WV	$	31		$	31	$	29	$	29

Appalachian Power Co [Member] | Billings from AEP Service Corporation [Member]

Billings from Significant Variable Interest

	Years Ended December 31,
Company	2012		2011		2010
	(in thousands)
APCo	$	195,176	$	195,787	$	238,367
I&M		127,232		126,505		139,920
OPCo		277,232		279,652		332,431
PSO		89,199		84,028		102,116
SWEPCo		136,642		130,148		147,928

Appalachian Power Co [Member] | Carrying Amount in AEP Service Corporation's Accounts Payable [Member]

Carrying Amount and Classification of Variable Interest in Accounts Payable [Text Block]

	December 31,
	2012				2011
	As Reported on		Maximum		As Reported on		Maximum
Company	the Balance Sheet		Exposure		the Balance Sheet		Exposure
	(in thousands)
APCo	$	29,819	$	29,819	$	20,812	$	20,812
I&M		17,911		17,911		13,741		13,741
OPCo		39,323		39,323		29,823		29,823
PSO		13,381		13,381		9,280		9,280
SWEPCo		19,669		19,669		14,699		14,699

Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member] | Billings from AEP Generating Company [Member]

Billings from Significant Variable Interest

	Years Ended December 31,
Company	2012		2011		2010
	(in thousands)
I&M	$	238,865	$	228,739	$	235,741
OPCo		203,582		185,741		113,801

Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member] | Billings from AEP Service Corporation [Member]

Billings from Significant Variable Interest

	Years Ended December 31,
Company	2012		2011		2010
	(in thousands)
APCo	$	195,176	$	195,787	$	238,367
I&M		127,232		126,505		139,920
OPCo		277,232		279,652		332,431
PSO		89,199		84,028		102,116
SWEPCo		136,642		130,148		147,928

Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member] | Carrying Amount in AEP Generating Company's Accounts Payable [Member]

Carrying Amount and Classification of Variable Interest in Accounts Payable [Text Block]

	December 31,
	2012				2011
	As Reported on		Maximum		As Reported on		Maximum
Company	the Balance Sheet		Exposure		the Balance Sheet		Exposure
	(in thousands)
I&M	$	25,498	$	25,498	$	25,731	$	25,731
OPCo		16,302		16,302		22,139		22,139

Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member] | Carrying Amount in AEP Service Corporation's Accounts Payable [Member]

Carrying Amount and Classification of Variable Interest in Accounts Payable [Text Block]

	December 31,
	2012				2011
	As Reported on		Maximum		As Reported on		Maximum
Company	the Balance Sheet		Exposure		the Balance Sheet		Exposure
	(in thousands)
APCo	$	29,819	$	29,819	$	20,812	$	20,812
I&M		17,911		17,911		13,741		13,741
OPCo		39,323		39,323		29,823		29,823
PSO		13,381		13,381		9,280		9,280
SWEPCo		19,669		19,669		14,699		14,699

Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member] | DCC Fuel [Member]

Consolidated Assets and Liabilities of Variable Interest Entities [Table Text Block]

INDIANA MICHIGAN POWER COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES
VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES
December 31, 2012 and 2011
(in thousands)
	DCC Fuel
ASSETS	2012		2011
Current Assets	$	132,886	$	118,144
Net Property, Plant and Equipment		176,065		188,375
Other Noncurrent Assets		92,473		117,772
Total Assets	$	401,424	$	424,291
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Current Liabilities	$	120,873	$	102,946
Noncurrent Liabilities		280,551		321,345
Equity		-		-
Total Liabilities and Equity	$	401,424	$	424,291

Ohio Power Co [Member] | Billings from AEP Generating Company [Member]

Billings from Significant Variable Interest

	Years Ended December 31,
Company	2012		2011		2010
	(in thousands)
I&M	$	238,865	$	228,739	$	235,741
OPCo		203,582		185,741		113,801

Ohio Power Co [Member] | Billings from AEP Service Corporation [Member]

Billings from Significant Variable Interest

	Years Ended December 31,
Company	2012		2011		2010
	(in thousands)
APCo	$	195,176	$	195,787	$	238,367
I&M		127,232		126,505		139,920
OPCo		277,232		279,652		332,431
PSO		89,199		84,028		102,116
SWEPCo		136,642		130,148		147,928

Ohio Power Co [Member] | Carrying Amount in AEP Generating Company's Accounts Payable [Member]

Carrying Amount and Classification of Variable Interest in Accounts Payable [Text Block]

	December 31,
	2012				2011
	As Reported on		Maximum		As Reported on		Maximum
Company	the Balance Sheet		Exposure		the Balance Sheet		Exposure
	(in thousands)
I&M	$	25,498	$	25,498	$	25,731	$	25,731
OPCo		16,302		16,302		22,139		22,139

Ohio Power Co [Member] | Carrying Amount in AEP Service Corporation's Accounts Payable [Member]

Carrying Amount and Classification of Variable Interest in Accounts Payable [Text Block]

	December 31,
	2012				2011
	As Reported on		Maximum		As Reported on		Maximum
Company	the Balance Sheet		Exposure		the Balance Sheet		Exposure
	(in thousands)
APCo	$	29,819	$	29,819	$	20,812	$	20,812
I&M		17,911		17,911		13,741		13,741
OPCo		39,323		39,323		29,823		29,823
PSO		13,381		13,381		9,280		9,280
SWEPCo		19,669		19,669		14,699		14,699

Public Service Co of Oklahoma [Member] | Billings from AEP Service Corporation [Member]

Billings from Significant Variable Interest

	Years Ended December 31,
Company	2012		2011		2010
	(in thousands)
APCo	$	195,176	$	195,787	$	238,367
I&M		127,232		126,505		139,920
OPCo		277,232		279,652		332,431
PSO		89,199		84,028		102,116
SWEPCo		136,642		130,148		147,928

Public Service Co of Oklahoma [Member] | Carrying Amount in AEP Service Corporation's Accounts Payable [Member]

Carrying Amount and Classification of Variable Interest in Accounts Payable [Text Block]

	December 31,
	2012				2011
	As Reported on		Maximum		As Reported on		Maximum
Company	the Balance Sheet		Exposure		the Balance Sheet		Exposure
	(in thousands)
APCo	$	29,819	$	29,819	$	20,812	$	20,812
I&M		17,911		17,911		13,741		13,741
OPCo		39,323		39,323		29,823		29,823
PSO		13,381		13,381		9,280		9,280
SWEPCo		19,669		19,669		14,699		14,699

Southwestern Electric Power Co [Member] | Billings from AEP Service Corporation [Member]

Billings from Significant Variable Interest

	Years Ended December 31,
Company	2012		2011		2010
	(in thousands)
APCo	$	195,176	$	195,787	$	238,367
I&M		127,232		126,505		139,920
OPCo		277,232		279,652		332,431
PSO		89,199		84,028		102,116
SWEPCo		136,642		130,148		147,928

Southwestern Electric Power Co [Member] | Carrying Amount in AEP Service Corporation's Accounts Payable [Member]

Carrying Amount and Classification of Variable Interest in Accounts Payable [Text Block]

	December 31,
	2012				2011
	As Reported on		Maximum		As Reported on		Maximum
Company	the Balance Sheet		Exposure		the Balance Sheet		Exposure
	(in thousands)
APCo	$	29,819	$	29,819	$	20,812	$	20,812
I&M		17,911		17,911		13,741		13,741
OPCo		39,323		39,323		29,823		29,823
PSO		13,381		13,381		9,280		9,280
SWEPCo		19,669		19,669		14,699		14,699

Southwestern Electric Power Co [Member] | Sabine Mining Co [Member]

Consolidated Assets and Liabilities of Variable Interest Entities [Table Text Block]

SOUTHWESTERN ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY CONSOLIDATED
VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES
December 31, 2012 and 2011
(in thousands)
	Sabine
	2012		2011
ASSETS
Current Assets	$	56,535	$	48,044
Net Property, Plant and Equipment		170,436		153,715
Other Noncurrent Assets		55,076		42,574
Total Assets	$	282,047	$	244,333
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Current Liabilities	$	31,446	$	67,779
Noncurrent Liabilities		250,340		176,163
Equity		261		391
Total Liabilities and Equity	$	282,047	$	244,333

Southwestern Electric Power Co [Member] | Dolet Hills Lignite Co, LLC [Member]

Companys Investment In Joint Venture

	December 31,
	2012				2011
	As Reported on		Maximum		As Reported on		Maximum
	the Balance Sheet		Exposure		the Balance Sheet		Exposure
	(in thousands)
Capital Contribution from SWEPCo	$	7,643	$	7,643	$	7,643	$	7,643
Retained Earnings		946		946		1,120		1,120
SWEPCo's Guarantee of Debt		-		49,564		-		52,310
Total Investment in DHLC	$	8,589	$	58,153	$	8,763	$	61,073