Financing Activities (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended					9 Months Ended						9 Months Ended					9 Months Ended								9 Months Ended					3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			9 Months Ended						3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			9 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	9 Months Ended											3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			9 Months Ended																	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			9 Months Ended	3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended					9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013		Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013		Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012		Sep. 30, 2013 Long-term Debt [Member]		Sep. 30, 2013 Long Term Debt Two [Member]		Sep. 30, 2013 AEP Subsidiaries [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 AEP Subsidiaries [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 AEP Subsidiaries [Member] Notes Payable One [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 AEP Subsidiaries [Member] Notes Payable Two [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 AEP Generating Co [Member] Senior Unsecured Notes One [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Kentucky Power Co [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 AEP Texas Central Co [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 AEP Texas Central Co [Member] Securitization Bonds One [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 AEP Texas Central Co [Member] Securitization Bonds Two [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 AEP Texas Central Co [Member] Securitization Bonds Three [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 AEP Texas Central Co [Member] Securitization Bonds Four [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 AEP Texas Central Co [Member] Pollution Control Bonds One [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 AEP Texas Central Co [Member] Long-term Debt [Member]		Sep. 30, 2013 AEP Texas North Co [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 AEP Texas North Co [Member] Senior Unsecured Notes One [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 AEP Texas North Co [Member] Senior Unsecured Notes Two [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 AEP Texas North Co [Member] Senior Unsecured Notes Three [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 AEP Texas North Co [Member] Long-term Debt [Member]		Sep. 30, 2013 Appalachian Power Co [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Appalachian Power Co [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Appalachian Power Co [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Appalachian Power Co [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Appalachian Power Co [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Appalachian Power Co [Member] Pollution Control Bonds One [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Appalachian Power Co [Member] Pollution Control Bonds Two [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Appalachian Power Co [Member] Pollution Control Bonds Three [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Appalachian Power Co [Member] Pollution Control Bonds Four [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Appalachian Power Co [Member] Senior Unsecured Notes One [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Appalachian Power Co [Member] Land Note [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member] Notes Payable One [Member]	Oct. 25, 2013 Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member] Notes Payable One [Member] Subsequent Event [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member] Notes Payable Two [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member] Notes Payable Three [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member] Notes Payable Four [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member] Notes Payable Five [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member] Notes Payable Six [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member] Notes Payable Seven [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member] Notes Payable Eight [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member] Pollution Control Bonds One [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member] Senior Unsecured Notes One [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member] Long-term Debt [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member] Long Term Debt Two [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Ohio Power Co [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Ohio Power Co [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Ohio Power Co [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Ohio Power Co [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Ohio Power Co [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Ohio Power Co [Member] Securitization Bonds One [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Ohio Power Co [Member] Securitization Bonds Two [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Ohio Power Co [Member] Pollution Control Bonds One [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Ohio Power Co [Member] Pollution Control Bonds Two [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Ohio Power Co [Member] Pollution Control Bonds Three [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Ohio Power Co [Member] Pollution Control Bonds Four [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Ohio Power Co [Member] Pollution Control Bonds Five [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Ohio Power Co [Member] Senior Unsecured Notes One [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Ohio Power Co [Member] Senior Unsecured Notes Two [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Ohio Power Co [Member] Senior Unsecured Notes Three [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Ohio Power Co [Member] Senior Unsecured Notes Four [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Ohio Power Co [Member] Long-term Debt [Member]		Sep. 30, 2013 Ohio Power Co [Member] Long Term Debt Two [Member]		Sep. 30, 2013 Ohio Power Co [Member] Long Term Debt Three [Member]		Sep. 30, 2013 Public Service Co Of Oklahoma [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Public Service Co Of Oklahoma [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Public Service Co Of Oklahoma [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Public Service Co Of Oklahoma [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Public Service Co Of Oklahoma [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Public Service Co Of Oklahoma [Member] Notes Payable One [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Southwestern Electric Power Co [Member]		Sep. 30, 2012 Southwestern Electric Power Co [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Southwestern Electric Power Co [Member]		Sep. 30, 2012 Southwestern Electric Power Co [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Southwestern Electric Power Co [Member]		Sep. 30, 2013 Southwestern Electric Power Co [Member] Notes Payable One [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 AEP Transmission Company, LLC [Member] Senior Unsecured Notes One [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 AEP Generating Co, Appalachian Power Co, Kentucky Power Co, Ohio Power Co
Long-term Debt
Senior Unsecured Notes	$ 11,705,000,000			$ 11,705,000,000			$ 12,712,000,000
Pollution Control Bonds	1,982,000,000			1,982,000,000			1,958,000,000
Notes Payable	425,000,000			425,000,000			427,000,000
Securitization Bonds	2,338,000,000			2,338,000,000			2,281,000,000
Spent Nuclear Fuel Obligation	265,000,000	[1]		265,000,000	[1]		265,000,000	[1]
Other Long-term Debt	886,000,000			886,000,000			140,000,000
Fair Value of Interest Rate Hedges	(7,000,000)			(7,000,000)			3,000,000
Unamortized Discount, Net	(26,000,000)			(26,000,000)			(29,000,000)
Total Long-term Debt Outstanding	17,568,000,000			17,568,000,000			17,757,000,000																										3,427,917,000		3,427,917,000		3,702,442,000							2,271,613,000		2,271,613,000		2,057,666,000														3,698,574,000		3,698,574,000		3,860,440,000																		949,826,000		949,826,000		949,871,000		2,043,244,000			2,043,244,000			2,046,228,000
Long-term Debt Due Within One Year	1,366,000,000			1,366,000,000			2,171,000,000						433,000,000	367,000,000																			229,682,000		229,682,000		574,679,000							224,859,000		224,859,000		203,953,000														553,516,000		553,516,000		856,000,000																		34,111,000		34,111,000		764,000		3,250,000			3,250,000			3,250,000
Long-term Debt	16,202,000,000			16,202,000,000			15,586,000,000						2,222,000,000	2,227,000,000																			3,198,235,000		3,198,235,000		3,127,763,000							2,046,754,000		2,046,754,000		1,853,713,000														2,945,058,000		2,945,058,000		2,804,440,000																		915,715,000		915,715,000		949,107,000		2,039,994,000			2,039,994,000			2,042,978,000
Long-term Debt and Other Securities Issued, Retired and Principal Payments Made
Issuances				2,098,000,000	[2]				200,000,000	[3]														120,000,000	75,000,000	[4]		125,000,000	75,000,000		75,000,000	[5]						30,000,000	40,000,000										101,354,000										250,000,000								164,900,000	102,508,000	50,000,000	65,000,000								200,000,000	[6]	600,000,000	[7]																		25,000,000
Retirements and Principal Payments				2,281,000,000		904,000,000					200,000,000	[3]			5,000,000	2,000,000	7,000,000			76,000,000	67,000,000	42,000,000	26,000,000							225,000,000					345,021,000	364,868,000				30,000,000	40,000,000	275,000,000	21,000			137,544,000	78,062,000			37,000,000	9,811,000	12,071,000	14,945,000	10,350,000	31,289,000	8,204,000	6,083,000	40,000,000		705,000	4,086,000			1,146,000,000	194,500,000						65,000,000	56,000,000	50,000,000	250,000,000	250,000,000	250,000,000	225,000,000					200,000,000	[6]			301,000	130,000		301,000				3,250,000		21,625,000			3,250,000
Interest Rate (Percentage)																	6.33%			4.98%	5.96%	5.09%	0.88%	4.00%				3.09%	4.48%	5.50%								3.25%	3.25%	4.85%	4.85%		13.718%								4.00%			2.12%			5.44%	5.25%	3.20%	6.00%							0.96%	2.05%			4.90%	5.10%	5.15%	5.50%	5.50%	5.75%	6.38%												3.00%									4.58%	4.83%
Interest Rate (Variable)									Variable		Variable				Variable										Variable						Variable											Variable							Variable			Variable	Variable		Variable	Variable					Variable								Variable	Variable								Variable		Variable		Variable
Due Date									2015		2015				2017	2026	2037			2013	2013	2015	2017	2030	2016			2023	2043	2013	2016							2018	2018	2013	2013	2013	2026						2017		2014	2015	2016	2016	2016	2017	2013	2025	2023	2025	2015						2018	2020	2014	2014	2037	2013	2026	2013	2013	2013	2033	2015		2015		2015							2027									2032	2043
Long- term Debt by Type of Debt and Maturity
Interest Rate (Minimum)																7.59%
Interest Rate (Maximum)																8.03%
Utility Money Pool Participants' Money Pool Activity and Authorized Borrowing Limits
Maximum Borrowings from Utility Money Pool																																			331,771,000											23,135,000																		410,456,000																						46,806,000							15,386,000
Maximum Loans to Utility Money Pool																																			39,372,000											384,435,000																		415,605,000																						52,734,000							153,830,000
Average Borrowings from Utility Money Pool																																			126,391,000											8,308,000																		228,719,000																						18,658,000							4,154,000
Average Loans to Utility Money Pool																																			23,632,000											239,647,000																		59,047,000																						18,808,000							38,449,000
Net Loans (Borrowings) to/from Utility Money Pool																																	(253,352,000)		(253,352,000)									322,476,000		322,476,000																9,401,000		9,401,000																				19,442,000		19,442,000				18,634,000			18,634,000
Authorized Short-term Borrowing Limit																																			600,000,000											500,000,000																		600,000,000																						300,000,000							350,000,000
Nonutility Money Pool Particpants' Money Pool Activity
Maximum Borrowings from Nonutility Money Pool																																																																1,047,000
Maximum Loans to Nonutility Money Pool																																																																1,027,000
Average Borrowings from Nonutility Money Pool																																																																201,000
Average Loans to Nonutility Money Pool																																																																208,000
Borrowings from Nonutility Money Pool																																																														338,000		338,000
Maximum and Minimum Interest Rates
Maximum Interest Rate																																			0.43%	0.56%										0.43%	0.56%																	0.43%	0.56%																					0.43%	0.56%						0.43%		0.56%
Minimum Interest Rate																																			0.28%	0.44%										0.28%	0.44%																	0.28%	0.44%																					0.28%	0.44%						0.28%		0.44%
Average Interest Rates for Funds Borrowed from and Loaned to Utility Money Pool
Average Interest Rate for Funds Borrowed																																			0.33%	0.48%										0.36%	0.00%																	0.34%	0.47%																					0.34%	0.00%						0.33%		0.53%
Average Interest Rate for Funds Loaned																																			0.34%	0.48%										0.33%	0.47%																	0.32%	0.50%																					0.32%	0.47%						0.36%		0.47%
Maximum, Miminum, Average Interest Rates for Funds Borrowed from or Loaned to Nonutility Money Pool
Maximum Interest Rate for Funds Borrowed from Nonutility Money Pool																																																																0.61%
Minimum Interest Rate for Funds Borrowed from Nonutility Money Pool																																																																0.53%
Maximum Interest Rate for Funds Loaned to Nonutility Money Pool																																																																0.35%
Minimum Interest Rate for Funds Loaned to Nonutility Money Pool																																																																0.32%
Average Interest Rate for Funds Borrowed																																																																0.56%
Average Interest Rate for Funds Loaned																																																																0.34%
Short-term Debt:
Securitized Debt for Receivables	700,000,000	[8]		700,000,000	[8]		657,000,000	[8]
Commercial Paper	518,000,000			518,000,000			321,000,000
Line of Credit - Sabine	0	[9]		0	[9]		3,000,000	[9]																																																																																		0			0			2,603,000
Total Short-term Debt	1,218,000,000			1,218,000,000			981,000,000
Securitized Debt for Receivables	0.23%	[10]		0.23%	[10]		0.26%	[10]
Commercial Paper	0.31%	[10]		0.31%	[10]		0.42%	[10]
Line of Credit - Sabine	0.00%	[10]		0.00%	[10]		1.82%	[10]																																																																																		0.00%	[10]		0.00%	[10]		1.82%	[10]
Comparative Accounts Receivable Information
Effective Interest Rates on Securitization of Accounts Receivable	0.23%		0.26%	0.23%		0.26%
Net Uncollectible Accounts Receivable Written Off	12,000,000		8,000,000	26,000,000		21,000,000
Customer Accounts Receivable Managed Portfolio
Accounts Receivable Retained Interest and Pledged as Collateral Less Uncollectible Accounts	965,000,000			965,000,000			835,000,000
Total Principal Outstanding	700,000,000			700,000,000			657,000,000
Delinquent Securitized Accounts Receivable	60,000,000			60,000,000			37,000,000
Bad Debt Reserves Related to Securitization, Sale of Accounts Receivable	17,000,000			17,000,000			21,000,000
Unbilled Receivables Related to Securitization, Sale of Accounts Receivable	266,000,000			266,000,000			316,000,000
Accounts Receivable and Accrued Unbilled Revenues
Accounts Receivable and Accrued Unbilled Revenues																																	135,579,000		135,579,000		153,719,000							143,804,000		143,804,000		123,447,000														321,054,000		321,054,000		300,675,000																		147,586,000		147,586,000		85,530,000		180,922,000			180,922,000			132,449,000
Fees Paid to AEP Credit for Customer Accounts Receivable Sold
Fees Paid to AEP Credit for Customer Accounts Receivable Sold																																	1,575,000	1,703,000	4,590,000	5,389,000								1,762,000	1,674,000	4,744,000	4,738,000															5,076,000	5,362,000	14,440,000	15,900,000																			1,549,000	1,990,000	4,314,000	5,547,000			1,649,000		1,786,000	4,413,000		4,720,000
Proceeds from Sale of Receivables
Proceeds from Sale of Receivables to AEP Credit																																	340,438,000	351,570,000	1,081,615,000	993,975,000								384,316,000	358,936,000	1,097,563,000	1,018,933,000															658,829,000	790,115,000	2,017,746,000	2,284,749,000																			382,167,000	342,819,000	944,062,000	919,343,000			450,294,000		444,461,000	1,171,306,000		1,145,182,000
Financing Activities (Textuals) [Abstract]
Term Credit Facility	1,000,000			1,000,000																																																																																																1,000,000
Term Credit Facility Maximum Borrowing																		250,000,000															500,000,000		500,000,000
Revolving Credit Facilities																			100,000,000								75,000,000
Reacquired Pollution Controls Bonds Held by Trustees	500,000,000			500,000,000																																								40,000,000		40,000,000																460,000,000		460,000,000
Maximum Percentage Debt to Capitalization				67.50%																															67.50%											67.50%																		67.50%
Commitment from Bank Conduits that Expire in One Year	385,000,000			385,000,000
Commitment from Bank Conduits that Expire in Two Years	315,000,000			315,000,000
Total Commitment from Bank Conduits to Finance Receivables	700,000,000			700,000,000
Trust Fund Assets One Time Fee Obligation for Nuclear Fuel Disposition	$ 309,000,000			$ 309,000,000			$ 308,000,000

[1] Pursuant to the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982, I&M, a nuclear licensee, has an obligation to the United States Department of Energy for spent nuclear fuel disposal. The obligation includes a one-time fee for nuclear fuel consumed prior to April 7, 1983. Trust fund assets related to this obligation were $309 million and $308 million as of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively, and are included in Spent Nuclear Fuel and Decommissioning Trusts on our condensed balance sheets.

[2] Amount indicated on the statement of cash flows is net of issuance costs and premium or discount and will not tie to the total issuances.

[3] Draw on a $1 billion term credit facility that was terminated in July 2013.

[4] Draw on a $100 million three-year revolving credit facility to be used for general corporate purposes.

[5] Draw on a $75 million three-year revolving credit facility to be used for general corporate purposes.

[6] Intercompany issuance from AEP consisting of a draw on a $1 billion term credit facility that was terminated in July 2013.

[7] Draw on a $1 billion term credit facility due in May 2015.

[8] Amount of securitized debt for receivables as accounted for under the ''Transfers and Servicing'' accounting guidance.

[9] This line of credit does not reduce available liquidity under AEP's credit facilities.

[10] Weighted average rate.