Condensed Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity and Comprehensive Income (Loss) (Unaudited) (USD $)	Total	Common Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]	Noncontrolling Interests [Member]	Appalachian Power Co [Member]	Appalachian Power Co [Member] Common Stock [Member]	Appalachian Power Co [Member] Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Appalachian Power Co [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	Appalachian Power Co [Member] Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]	Columbus Southern Power Co [Member]	Columbus Southern Power Co [Member] Common Stock [Member]	Columbus Southern Power Co [Member] Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Columbus Southern Power Co [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	Columbus Southern Power Co [Member] Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]	Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member]	Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member] Common Stock [Member]	Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member] Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member] Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]	Ohio Power Co [Member]	Ohio Power Co [Member] Common Stock [Member]	Ohio Power Co [Member] Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Ohio Power Co [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	Ohio Power Co [Member] Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]	Public Service Co Of Oklahoma [Member]	Public Service Co Of Oklahoma [Member] Common Stock [Member]	Public Service Co Of Oklahoma [Member] Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Public Service Co Of Oklahoma [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	Public Service Co Of Oklahoma [Member] Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]	Southwestern Electric Power Co [Member]	Southwestern Electric Power Co [Member] Common Stock [Member]	Southwestern Electric Power Co [Member] Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Southwestern Electric Power Co [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	Southwestern Electric Power Co [Member] Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]	Southwestern Electric Power Co [Member] Noncontrolling Interests [Member]
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2009	$ 13,140,000,000	$ 3,239,000,000	$ 5,824,000,000	$ 4,451,000,000	$ (374,000,000)	$ 0	$ 2,771,577,000	$ 260,458,000	$ 1,475,393,000	$ 1,085,980,000	$ (50,254,000)	$ 1,359,835,000	$ 41,026,000	$ 580,663,000	$ 788,139,000	$ (49,993,000)	$ 1,672,783,000	$ 56,584,000	$ 981,292,000	$ 656,608,000	$ (21,701,000)	$ 3,234,695,000	$ 321,201,000	$ 1,123,149,000	$ 1,908,803,000	$ (118,458,000)	$ 811,742,000	$ 157,230,000	$ 364,231,000	$ 290,880,000	$ (599,000)	$ 1,524,157,000	$ 135,660,000	$ 674,979,000	$ 726,478,000	$ (12,991,000)	$ 31,000
Beginning Balance, Shares at Dec. 31, 2009		498,000,000
Issuance of Common Stock, Value	66,000,000	13,000,000	53,000,000
Issuance of Common Stock, Shares		2,000,000
Capital Contribution from Parent							0
Common Stock Dividends							(88,000,000)			(88,000,000)		(77,500,000)			(77,500,000)		(78,250,000)			(78,250,000)		(246,575,000)			(246,575,000)		(38,026,000)			(38,026,000)
Common Stock Dividends	(602,000,000)			(599,000,000)		(3,000,000)																										(2,966,000)					(2,966,000)
Preferred Stock Dividend Requirements	(2,000,000)			(2,000,000)			(675,000)			(599,000)							(255,000)			(255,000)		(549,000)			(549,000)		(151,000)			(151,000)		(172,000)			(172,000)
Gain on Reacquired Preferred Stock																											76,000		76,000
Capital Stock Expense							2,000		78,000	(76,000)		118,000		118,000	(118,000)
Other Changes in Equity	4,000,000		4,000,000
Subtotal - Equity	12,606,000,000						2,682,980,000					1,282,335,000					1,594,278,000					2,987,571,000					773,641,000					1,521,019,000
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Taxes:
Cash Flow Hedges, Net of Tax	2,000,000				2,000,000		(3,627,000)				(3,627,000)	(857,000)				(857,000)	(144,000)				(144,000)	(2,150,000)				(2,150,000)	181,000				181,000	461,000				461,000
Securities Available for Sale, Net of Tax	(9,000,000)				(9,000,000)
Amortization of Pension and OPEB Deferred Costs, Net of Tax	17,000,000				17,000,000		3,129,000				3,129,000	1,857,000				1,857,000	655,000				655,000	5,285,000				5,285,000						703,000				703,000
NET INCOME (LOSS)	1,040,000,000			1,037,000,000		3,000,000	100,734,000			100,734,000		210,823,000			210,823,000		121,960,000			121,960,000		230,316,000			230,316,000		75,060,000			75,060,000		139,473,000			136,275,000		3,198,000
Total Comprehensive Income	1,050,000,000						100,236,000					211,823,000					122,471,000					233,451,000					75,241,000					140,637,000
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2010	13,656,000,000	3,252,000,000	5,881,000,000	4,887,000,000	(364,000,000)	0	2,783,216,000	260,458,000	1,475,471,000	1,098,039,000	(50,752,000)	1,494,158,000	41,026,000	580,781,000	921,344,000	(48,993,000)	1,716,749,000	56,584,000	981,292,000	700,063,000	(21,190,000)	3,221,022,000	321,201,000	1,123,149,000	1,891,995,000	(115,323,000)	848,882,000	157,230,000	364,307,000	327,763,000	(418,000)	1,661,656,000	135,660,000	674,979,000	862,581,000	(11,827,000)	263,000
Ending Balance, Shares at Sep. 30, 2010		500,000,000
Beginning Balance at Jun. 30, 2010
Preferred Stock Dividend Requirements	(1,000,000)						(225,000)										(85,000)					(183,000)					(48,000)					(58,000)
Capital Stock Expense												39,000
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Taxes:
NET INCOME (LOSS)	557,000,000						50,071,000					107,057,000					62,300,000					100,865,000					55,432,000					81,685,000
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2010	13,656,000,000						2,783,216,000	260,458,000				1,494,158,000	41,026,000				1,716,749,000	56,584,000	981,292,000			3,221,022,000	321,201,000	1,123,149,000			848,882,000	157,230,000				1,661,656,000	135,660,000	674,979,000
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2010	13,622,000,000	3,257,000,000	5,904,000,000	4,842,000,000	(381,000,000)	0	2,821,679,000	260,458,000	1,475,496,000	1,133,748,000	(48,023,000)	1,486,215,000	41,026,000	580,812,000	915,713,000	(51,336,000)	1,694,349,000	56,584,000	981,294,000	677,360,000	(20,889,000)	3,168,424,000	321,201,000	1,123,153,000	1,852,889,000	(128,819,000)	842,472,000	157,230,000	364,307,000	312,441,000	8,494,000	1,667,349,000	135,660,000	674,979,000	868,840,000	(12,491,000)	361,000
Beginning Balance, Shares at Dec. 31, 2010	501,114,881																										10,482,000
Issuance of Common Stock, Value	70,000,000	14,000,000	56,000,000
Issuance of Common Stock, Shares		2,000,000
Capital Contribution from Parent							100,000,000		100,000,000
Common Stock Dividends							(97,500,000)			(97,500,000)		(187,500,000)			(187,500,000)		(56,250,000)			(56,250,000)		(300,000,000)			(300,000,000)		(52,500,000)			(52,500,000)
Common Stock Dividends	(668,000,000)			(665,000,000)		(3,000,000)																										(3,183,000)					(3,183,000)
Preferred Stock Dividend Requirements	(2,000,000)			(2,000,000)			(599,000)			(599,000)							(255,000)			(255,000)		(549,000)			(549,000)		(147,000)			(147,000)		(172,000)			(172,000)
Gain on Reacquired Preferred Stock							3,000		3,000
Capital Stock Expense												75,000		75,000	(75,000)
Other Changes in Equity	(8,000,000)		(8,000,000)
Subtotal - Equity	13,014,000,000						2,823,583,000					1,298,715,000					1,637,844,000					2,867,875,000					789,825,000					1,663,994,000
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Taxes:
Cash Flow Hedges, Net of Tax	(14,000,000)				(14,000,000)		767,000				767,000	138,000				138,000	(3,832,000)				(3,832,000)	(821,000)				(821,000)	(1,188,000)				(1,188,000)	(9,648,000)				(9,648,000)
Securities Available for Sale, Net of Tax	(3,000,000)				(3,000,000)
Amortization of Pension and OPEB Deferred Costs, Net of Tax	18,000,000				18,000,000		2,332,000				2,332,000	2,204,000				2,204,000	711,000				711,000	6,006,000				6,006,000						383,000				383,000
NET INCOME (LOSS)	1,638,000,000			1,635,000,000		3,000,000	123,411,000			123,411,000		213,599,000			213,599,000		128,515,000			128,515,000		222,904,000			222,904,000		104,298,000			104,298,000		168,693,000			165,552,000		3,141,000
Total Comprehensive Income	1,639,000,000						126,510,000					215,941,000					125,394,000					228,089,000					103,110,000					159,428,000
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2011	14,653,000,000	3,271,000,000	5,952,000,000	5,810,000,000	(380,000,000)	0	2,950,093,000	260,458,000	1,575,499,000	1,159,060,000	(44,924,000)	1,514,656,000	41,026,000	580,887,000	941,737,000	(48,994,000)	1,763,238,000	56,584,000	981,294,000	749,370,000	(24,010,000)	3,095,964,000	321,201,000	1,123,153,000	1,775,244,000	(123,634,000)	892,935,000	157,230,000	364,307,000	364,092,000	7,306,000	1,823,422,000	135,660,000	674,979,000	1,034,220,000	(21,756,000)	319,000
Ending Balance, Shares at Sep. 30, 2011	503,177,402																										10,482,000
Beginning Balance at Jun. 30, 2011
Preferred Stock Dividend Requirements	(1,000,000)						(199,000)										(85,000)					(183,000)					(49,000)					(58,000)
Capital Stock Expense												25,000
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Taxes:
NET INCOME (LOSS)	930,000,000						52,804,000					81,513,000					51,702,000					46,826,000					57,349,000					87,795,000
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2011	$ 14,653,000,000						$ 2,950,093,000	$ 260,458,000				$ 1,514,656,000	$ 41,026,000				$ 1,763,238,000	$ 56,584,000	$ 981,294,000			$ 3,095,964,000	$ 321,201,000	$ 1,123,153,000			$ 892,935,000	$ 157,230,000	$ 364,307,000			$ 1,823,422,000	$ 135,660,000	$ 674,979,000
Ending Balance, Shares at Sep. 30, 2011	503,177,402																										10,482,000