Segment Information (Details 1) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Sep. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2010	Mar. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization									$ 995	$ 1,027	$ 1,020
Interest Expense									494	549	545
Income Taxes									(205)	93	18
Net Income Attributable to DTE Energy Company	150	183	202	176	152	163	86	229	711	630	532
Total Assets	26,009				24,896				26,009	24,896
Goodwill	2,020				2,020				2,020	2,020	2,024
Electric Utility [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Revenue									5,154	4,993	4,714
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization									818	849	844
Interest Income									(1)	(1)	(1)
Interest Expense									289	313	324
Income Taxes									265	270	228
Net Income Attributable to DTE Energy Company									434	441	376
Total Assets	17,370				16,375				17,370	16,375	15,879
Goodwill	1,208				1,206				1,208	1,206	1,206
Capital Expenditures									1,203	864	794
Gas Utility [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Revenue									1,505	1,648	1,788
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization									89	92	107
Interest Income									(7)	(9)	(8)
Interest Expense									64	66	68
Income Taxes									60	67	39
Net Income Attributable to DTE Energy Company									110	127	80
Total Assets	3,933				3,854				3,933	3,854	3,832
Goodwill	745				759				745	759	759
Capital Expenditures									179	147	166
Gas Storage and Pipelines [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Revenue									91	83	82
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization									6	5	5
Interest Income									(5)	(1)	(1)
Interest Expense									7	6	10
Income Taxes									35	32	33
Net Income Attributable to DTE Energy Company									57	51	49
Total Assets	421				391				421	391	367
Goodwill	22				9				22	9	9
Capital Expenditures									16	5	2
Unconventional Gas Production [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Revenue									39	32	31
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization									18	15	16
Interest Income									0	0	0
Interest Expense									7	6	6
Income Taxes									(3)	(6)	(4)
Net Income Attributable to DTE Energy Company									(6)	(11)	(9)
Total Assets	319				308				319	308	309
Goodwill	2				2				2	2	2
Capital Expenditures									29	27	26
Power and Industrial Projects [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Revenue									1,129	1,144	661
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization									60	60	40
Interest Income									(8)	(3)	(3)
Interest Expense									32	33	30
Income Taxes									11	3	(7)
Net Income Attributable to DTE Energy Company									38	85	31
Total Assets	1,210				1,236				1,210	1,236	1,118
Goodwill	26				27				26	27	31
Capital Expenditures									56	53	45
Energy Trading [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Revenue									1,276	875	804
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization									3	5	5
Interest Income									0	0	(1)
Interest Expense									9	13	10
Income Taxes									34	5	37
Net Income Attributable to DTE Energy Company									52	6	75
Total Assets	552				483				552	483	552
Goodwill	17				17				17	17	17
Capital Expenditures									1	1	2
Corporate and Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Revenue									4	1	0
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization									1	1	3
Interest Income									(47)	(47)	(55)
Interest Expense									144	160	147
Income Taxes									(134)	(60)	(79)
Net Income Attributable to DTE Energy Company									26	(69)	(70)
Total Assets	2,204				2,249				2,204	2,249	2,138
Goodwill	0				0				0	0	0
Capital Expenditures									0	0	0
Corporate Elimination [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Revenue									(301)	(219)	(66)
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization									0	0	0
Interest Income									58	49	50
Interest Expense									(58)	(48)	(50)
Income Taxes									(1)	0	0
Net Income Attributable to DTE Energy Company									0	0	0
Total Assets	0				0				0	0	0
Goodwill	0				0				0	0	0
Capital Expenditures									0	0	0
Total [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Revenue									8,897	8,557	8,014
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization									995	1,027	1,020
Interest Income									(10)	(12)	(19)
Interest Expense									494	549	545
Income Taxes									267	311	247
Net Income Attributable to DTE Energy Company									711	630	532
Total Assets	26,009				24,896				26,009	24,896	24,195
Goodwill	2,020				2,020				2,020	2,020	2,024
Capital Expenditures									$ 1,484	$ 1,097	$ 1,035