2.2.0.7 false Variable Interest Entities 121 - Disclosure - Variable Interest Entities true false false false 1 USD false false iso4217_USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 iso4217_USD_per_shares Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares 0 pure Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance pure 0 shares Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares 0 $ 5 Variable Interest Entities 3 us-gaap_ScheduleOfVariableInterestEntitiesTextBlock us-gaap true na duration No definition available. false false false false false false false false false false false false 1 false false false false 0 0 <div> Note 13. Variable Interest Entities As discussed in Note 16 to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Dominion’s and Virginia Power’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009, certain variable pricing terms in some of the Companies’ long-term power and capacity contracts cause them to be considered variable interests in the counterparties. Virginia Power has long-term power and capacity contracts with four non-utility generators with an aggregate generation capacity of approximately 947 MW at September 30, 2010. These contracts contain certain variable pricing mechanisms in the form of partial fuel reimbursement that Virginia Power considers to be variable interests. After an evaluation of the information provided by these entities, Virginia Power was unable to determine whether they were VIEs. However, the information they provided, as well as Virginia Power’s knowledge of generation facilities in Virginia, enabled Virginia Power to conclude that, if they were VIEs, it would not be the primary beneficiary. This conclusion reflects Virginia Power’s determination that its variable interests do not convey the power to direct the most significant activities that impact the economic performance of the entity during the remaining terms of Virginia Power’s contracts and for the years the entities are expected to operate after its contractual relationships expire. The contracts expire at various dates ranging from 2015 to 2021. Virginia Power is not subject to any risk of loss from these potential VIEs other than its remaining purchase commitments which totaled $1.6 billion as of September 30, 2010. Virginia Power paid $53 million and $52 million for electric capacity and $46 million and $24 million for electric energy to these entities for the three months ended September 30, 2010 and 2009, respectively. Virginia Power paid $160 million and $156 million for electric capacity and $120 million and $90 million for electric energy to these entities for the nine months ended September 30, 2010 and 2009, respectively. Virginia Power purchased shared services from DRS, an affiliated VIE, of approximately $104 million and $108 million for the three months ended September 30, 2010 and 2009, respectively, and $352 million and $307 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2010 and 2009, respectively. Virginia Power determined that it is not the most closely associated entity with DRS and therefore not the primary beneficiary. DRS provides accounting, legal, finance and certain administrative and technical services to all Dominion subsidiaries, including Virginia Power. Virginia Power has no obligation to absorb more than its allocated share of DRS costs. </div> Note 13. Variable Interest Entities As discussed in Note 16 to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Dominion’s and Virginia Power’s false false false us-types:textBlockItemType textblock Disclosure of variable interest entities (VIE), including, but not limited to the nature, purpose, size, and activities of the VIE, the carrying amount and classification of consolidated assets that are collateral for the VIE's obligations, lack of recourse if creditors (or beneficial interest holders) of a consolidated VIE have no recourse to the general credit of the primary beneficiary. An enterprise that holds a significant variable interest in a VIE but is not the primary beneficiary may disclose the nature of its involvement with the VIE and when that involvement began, the nature, purpose, size, and activities of the VIE and the enterprise's maximum exposure to loss as a result of its involvement with the VIE. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 140 -Paragraph 35 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name FASB Interpretation (FIN) -Number 46R -Paragraph 2, 14, 15, 16, 23, 24, 25, 26 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name FASB Interpretation (FIN) -Number 46R -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph g Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name FASB Staff Position (FSP) -Number FAS140-4 and FIN46(R)-8 -Paragraph C4 -Subparagraph d false 1 1 false UnKnown UnKnown UnKnown false true