Aquisitions and Dispositions	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2013
Acquisitions, Dispositions and Impairments	5. ACQUISITION AND IMPAIRMENTS ACQUISITION 2012 BlueStar Energy (Generation and Marketing segment) In March 2012, we completed the acquisition of BlueStar Energy Holdings, Inc. (BlueStar) and its independent retail electric supplier BlueStar Energy Solutions for $70 million. This transaction also included goodwill of $15 million, intangible assets associated with sales contracts and customer accounts of $58 million and liabilities associated with supply contracts of $25 million. BlueStar has been in operation since 2002. Beginning in June 2012, BlueStar began doing business as AEP Energy. AEP Energy provides electric supply for retail customers in Ohio, Illinois and other deregulated electricity markets and also provides energy solutions throughout the United States, including demand response and energy efficiency services. IMPAIRMENTS 2013 Turk Plant (Utility Operations segment) In the third quarter of 2013, SWEPCo recorded a pretax write-off of $111 million in Asset Impairments and Other Related Charges on the statement of income related to AFUDC on the Turk Plant that was included in the Texas capital cost cap. See the “2012 Texas Base Rate Case” section of Note 3. Big Sandy Plant, Unit 2 FGD Project (Utility Operations segment) In the third quarter of 2013, KPCo recorded a pretax write-off of $33 million in Asset Impairments and Other Related Charges on the statement of income primarily related to the Big Sandy Plant, Unit 2 FGD project. See the “Plant Transfer” section of Note 3. Muskingum River Plant, Unit 5 (Utility Operations segment) In May 2013, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio approved a modification to the consent decree, which was initially entered into in 2007, requiring certain types of pollution control equipment to be installed at certain AEP plants, including OPCo's 600 MW Muskingum River Plant, Unit 5 (MR5) coal-fired generation plant. Under the modification to the consent decree, OPCo has the option to cease burning coal and retire MR5 in 2015 or to cease burning coal in 2015 and complete a natural gas refueling project no later than June 2017. In the second quarter of 2013, based on the approval of the modified consent decree and changes in other market factors, we re-evaluated potential courses of action with respect to the planned operation of MR5 and concluded that completion of a refueling project, which would have extended the useful life of MR5, is remote. As a result, management completed an impairment analysis and concluded that MR5 was impaired. Under a market-based value approach, using level 3 unobservable inputs, management determined that the fair value of this generating unit was zero based on the lack of installed environmental control equipment and the nature and condition of this generating unit. In the second quarter of 2013, OPCo recorded a pretax impairment of $154 million in Asset Impairments and Other Related Charges on the statement of income which includes a $6 million pretax impairment of related material and supplies inventory. Management expects to retire the plant in 2015. 2012 Turk Plant (Utility Operations segment) In 2012, SWEPCo recorded a pretax write-off of $13 million in Asset Impairments and Other Related Charges on the statement of income related to unrecoverable construction costs subject to the Texas capital costs cap portion of the Turk Plant.
Ohio Power Co [Member]
Acquisitions, Dispositions and Impairments	5. DISPOSITION AND IMPAIRMENTS DISPOSITION 2013 Conesville Coal Preparation Plant – Affecting OPCo In April 2013, OPCo closed on the sale of its Conesville Coal Preparation Plant. This sale did not have a significant impact on OPCo's financial statements. IMPAIRMENTS 2013 Muskingum River Plant, Unit 5 – Affecting OPCo In May 2013, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio approved a modification to the consent decree, which was initially entered into in 2007, requiring certain types of pollution control equipment to be installed at certain AEP plants, including OPCo's 600 MW Muskingum River Plant, Unit 5 (MR5) coal-fired generation plant. Under the modification to the consent decree, OPCo has the option to cease burning coal and retire MR5 in 2015 or to cease burning coal in 2015 and complete a natural gas refueling project no later than June 2017. In the second quarter of 2013, based on the approval of the modified consent decree and changes in other market factors, management re-evaluated potential courses of action with respect to the planned operation of MR5 and concluded that completion of a refueling project, which would have extended the useful life of MR5, is remote. As a result, management completed an impairment analysis and concluded that MR5 was impaired. Under a market-based value approach, using level 3 unobservable inputs, management determined that the fair value of this generating unit was zero based on the lack of installed environmental control equipment and the nature and condition of this generating unit. In the second quarter of 2013, OPCo recorded a pretax impairment of $154 million in Asset Impairments and Other Related Charges on the statement of income which includes a $6 million pretax impairment of related material and supplies inventory. Management expects to retire the plant in 2015.
Southwestern Electric Power Co [Member]
Acquisitions, Dispositions and Impairments	5. DISPOSITION AND IMPAIRMENTS IMPAIRMENTS 2013 Turk Plant – Affecting SWEPCo In the third quarter of 2013, SWEPCo recorded a pretax write-off of $111 million in Asset Impairments and Other Related Charges on the statement of income related to AFUDC on the Turk Plant that was included in the Texas capital cost cap. See the “2012 Texas Base Rate Case” section of Note 3. 2012 Turk Plant – Affecting SWEPCo In 2012, SWEPCo recorded a pretax write-off of $13 million in Asset Impairments and Other Related Charges on the statement of income related to unrecoverable construction costs subject to the Texas capital costs cap portion of the Turk Plant.

Acquisitions, Dispositions and Impairments

5. ACQUISITION AND IMPAIRMENTS

ACQUISITION

2012

BlueStar Energy (Generation and Marketing segment)

In March 2012, we completed the acquisition of BlueStar Energy Holdings, Inc. (BlueStar) and its independent retail electric supplier BlueStar Energy Solutions for $70 million. This transaction also included goodwill of $15 million, intangible assets associated with sales contracts and customer accounts of $58 million and liabilities associated with supply contracts of $25 million. BlueStar has been in operation since 2002. Beginning in June 2012, BlueStar began doing business as AEP Energy. AEP Energy provides electric supply for retail customers in Ohio, Illinois and other deregulated electricity markets and also provides energy solutions throughout the United States, including demand response and energy efficiency services.

IMPAIRMENTS

2013

Turk Plant (Utility Operations segment)

In the third quarter of 2013, SWEPCo recorded a pretax write-off of $111 million in Asset Impairments and Other Related Charges on the statement of income related to AFUDC on the Turk Plant that was included in the Texas capital cost cap. See the “2012 Texas Base Rate Case” section of Note 3.

Big Sandy Plant, Unit 2 FGD Project (Utility Operations segment)

In the third quarter of 2013, KPCo recorded a pretax write-off of $33 million in Asset Impairments and Other Related Charges on the statement of income primarily related to the Big Sandy Plant, Unit 2 FGD project. See the “Plant Transfer” section of Note 3.

Muskingum River Plant, Unit 5 (Utility Operations segment)

In May 2013, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio approved a modification to the consent decree, which was initially entered into in 2007, requiring certain types of pollution control equipment to be installed at certain AEP plants, including OPCo's 600 MW Muskingum River Plant, Unit 5 (MR5) coal-fired generation plant. Under the modification to the consent decree, OPCo has the option to cease burning coal and retire MR5 in 2015 or to cease burning coal in 2015 and complete a natural gas refueling project no later than June 2017. In the second quarter of 2013, based on the approval of the modified consent decree and changes in other market factors, we re-evaluated potential courses of action with respect to the planned operation of MR5 and concluded that completion of a refueling project, which would have extended the useful life of MR5, is remote. As a result, management completed an impairment analysis and concluded that MR5 was impaired. Under a market-based value approach, using level 3 unobservable inputs, management determined that the fair value of this generating unit was zero based on the lack of installed environmental control equipment and the nature and condition of this generating unit. In the second quarter of 2013, OPCo recorded a pretax impairment of $154 million in Asset Impairments and Other Related Charges on the statement of income which includes a $6 million pretax impairment of related material and supplies inventory. Management expects to retire the plant in 2015.

2012

Turk Plant (Utility Operations segment)

In 2012, SWEPCo recorded a pretax write-off of $13 million in Asset Impairments and Other Related Charges on the statement of income related to unrecoverable construction costs subject to the Texas capital costs cap portion of the Turk Plant.

Acquisitions, Dispositions and Impairments

5. DISPOSITION AND IMPAIRMENTS

DISPOSITION

2013

Conesville Coal Preparation Plant – Affecting OPCo

In April 2013, OPCo closed on the sale of its Conesville Coal Preparation Plant. This sale did not have a significant impact on OPCo's financial statements.

IMPAIRMENTS

2013

Muskingum River Plant, Unit 5 – Affecting OPCo

In May 2013, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio approved a modification to the consent decree, which was initially entered into in 2007, requiring certain types of pollution control equipment to be installed at certain AEP plants, including OPCo's 600 MW Muskingum River Plant, Unit 5 (MR5) coal-fired generation plant. Under the modification to the consent decree, OPCo has the option to cease burning coal and retire MR5 in 2015 or to cease burning coal in 2015 and complete a natural gas refueling project no later than June 2017. In the second quarter of 2013, based on the approval of the modified consent decree and changes in other market factors, management re-evaluated potential courses of action with respect to the planned operation of MR5 and concluded that completion of a refueling project, which would have extended the useful life of MR5, is remote. As a result, management completed an impairment analysis and concluded that MR5 was impaired. Under a market-based value approach, using level 3 unobservable inputs, management determined that the fair value of this generating unit was zero based on the lack of installed environmental control equipment and the nature and condition of this generating unit. In the second quarter of 2013, OPCo recorded a pretax impairment of $154 million in Asset Impairments and Other Related Charges on the statement of income which includes a $6 million pretax impairment of related material and supplies inventory. Management expects to retire the plant in 2015.

Acquisitions, Dispositions and Impairments

5. DISPOSITION AND IMPAIRMENTS

IMPAIRMENTS

2013

Turk Plant – Affecting SWEPCo

In the third quarter of 2013, SWEPCo recorded a pretax write-off of $111 million in Asset Impairments and Other Related Charges on the statement of income related to AFUDC on the Turk Plant that was included in the Texas capital cost cap. See the “2012 Texas Base Rate Case” section of Note 3.

2012

Turk Plant – Affecting SWEPCo

In 2012, SWEPCo recorded a pretax write-off of $13 million in Asset Impairments and Other Related Charges on the statement of income related to unrecoverable construction costs subject to the Texas capital costs cap portion of the Turk Plant.