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Asset impairment on related material and supplies inventory.

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Amount of liabilities incurred by the acquirer as part of consideration transferred in a business combination.

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Amount after accumulated impairment loss of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

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Amount of increase in assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance with an indefinite life, resulting from a business combination.

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The charge against earnings resulting from the write down of long lived assets other than goodwill due to the difference between the carrying value and lower fair value.

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The cash outflow associated with the acquisition of long-lived, physical assets that are used in the normal conduct of business to produce goods and services and not intended for resale; includes cash outflows to pay for construction of self-constructed assets.

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Fair value portion of physical assets used in the normal conduct of business to produce goods and services and not intended for resale. Examples include, but are not limited to, land, buildings, machinery and equipment, office equipment, and furniture and fixtures.

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Acquisitions Dispositions and Discontinued Operations (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012
Acquisitions Dispositions and Discontinued Operations (Textuals) [Abstract]
Acquisitions of Assets			$ 6,000,000	$ 89,000,000
Goodwill	91,000,000		91,000,000		91,000,000
Asset Impairments and Other Related Charges	144,000,000	13,000,000	298,000,000	13,000,000
Utility Operations [Member] \| Muskingum River Plant Unit 5 [Member]
Acquisitions Dispositions and Discontinued Operations (Textuals) [Abstract]
Asset Impairments and Other Related Charges			154,000,000
Asset Impairment on Related Material and Supplies Inventory	6,000,000		6,000,000
Fair Value of MR5 Generating Unit	0		0
Utility Operations [Member] \| Turk Plant [Member]
Acquisitions Dispositions and Discontinued Operations (Textuals) [Abstract]
Asset Impairments and Other Related Charges			111,000,000	13,000,000
Utility Operations [Member] \| Big Sandy Plant Unit 2 FGD Project [Member]
Acquisitions Dispositions and Discontinued Operations (Textuals) [Abstract]
Asset Impairments and Other Related Charges			33,000,000
Nonutility Operations - Generation and Marketing [Member] \| BlueStar Energy [Member]
Acquisitions Dispositions and Discontinued Operations (Textuals) [Abstract]
Acquisitions of Assets				70,000,000
Goodwill		15,000,000		15,000,000
Intangible Assets Associated with Sales Contracts and Customer Accounts				58,000,000
Liabilities Associated with Supply Contracts				25,000,000
Southwestern Electric Power Co [Member]
Acquisitions Dispositions and Discontinued Operations (Textuals) [Abstract]
Asset Impairments and Other Related Charges	110,850,000	0	110,850,000	13,000,000
Southwestern Electric Power Co [Member] \| Turk Plant [Member]
Acquisitions Dispositions and Discontinued Operations (Textuals) [Abstract]
Asset Impairments and Other Related Charges			111,000,000	13,000,000
Ohio Power Co [Member]
Acquisitions Dispositions and Discontinued Operations (Textuals) [Abstract]
Asset Impairments and Other Related Charges	0	0	154,304,000	0
Ohio Power Co [Member] \| Muskingum River Plant Unit 5 [Member]
Acquisitions Dispositions and Discontinued Operations (Textuals) [Abstract]
Asset Impairments and Other Related Charges			154,000,000
Asset Impairment on Related Material and Supplies Inventory	6,000,000		6,000,000
Fair Value of MR5 Generating Unit	$ 0		$ 0