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Commitments and Contingencies, Variable Interest Entities (Details)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
MW
Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary, Aggregated Disclosure [Member]    
Purchased Power Agreements [Abstract]    
Generating capacity (in MW) 827sps_GeneratingCapacityUnderLongTermPurchasedPowerAgreements
/ us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis
= us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityNotPrimaryBeneficiaryAggregatedDisclosureMember
827sps_GeneratingCapacityUnderLongTermPurchasedPowerAgreements
/ us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis
= us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityNotPrimaryBeneficiaryAggregatedDisclosureMember
Minimum    
Purchased Power Agreements [Abstract]    
Coal Supply Agreement Expiration 2016  
Maximum    
Purchased Power Agreements [Abstract]    
Purchase Power Agreement Duration VIE, Maximum 2033  
Coal Supply Agreement Expiration 2017