Retirement Benefits and Trusteed Assets (Pension Plan - Reconciliation of Obligations, Assets and Funded Status of Plans) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Amounts recognized in Regulatory assets(a)
Regulatory assets	$ 3,913	$ 3,724
Pension plan
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans [Line Items]
Accumulated benefit obligation, end of year	4,753	4,569
Change in projected benefit obligation
Projected benefit obligation, beginning of year	4,971	5,269
Service cost	92	100	$ 83
Interest cost	219	210	212
Plan amendments	7	0
Actuarial (gain) loss	141	(357)
Transfer due to plan sponsorship change	0	0
Special termination benefits	0	2
Benefits paid	(259)	(253)
Projected benefit obligation, end of year	5,171	4,971	5,269
Defined Benefit Plan, Change in Fair Value of Plan Assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value, beginning of year	3,832	3,981
Actual return on plan assets	253	(79)
Company contributions	186	183
Benefits paid	(259)	(253)
Plan assets at fair value, end of year	4,012	3,832	3,981
Funded status of the plans	(1,159)	(1,139)
Amount recorded as:
Current liabilities	(7)	(6)
Noncurrent liabilities	(1,152)	(1,133)
Defined benefit plans liabilities	(1,159)	(1,139)
Amounts recognized in Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), pre-tax
Net actuarial loss	163	180
Prior service cost (credit)	8	(1)
Amounts recognized in Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), pre-tax	171	179
Amounts recognized in Regulatory assets(a)
Net actuarial loss	2,163	2,113
Prior service credit	(4)	(1)
Regulatory assets	2,159	2,112
Qualified pension plan
Change in projected benefit obligation
Service cost	92	100
Interest cost	219	210
Defined Benefit Plan, Change in Fair Value of Plan Assets [Roll Forward]
Company contributions	179
DTE Electric
Amounts recognized in Regulatory assets(a)
Regulatory assets	3,149	2,986
DTE Electric | Pension plan
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans [Line Items]
Accumulated benefit obligation, end of year	3,548	3,401
Change in projected benefit obligation
Projected benefit obligation, beginning of year	3,685	4,018
Service cost	71	77	64
Interest cost	166	160	162
Plan amendments	(1)	0
Actuarial (gain) loss	124	(273)
Transfer due to plan sponsorship change	0	(99)
Special termination benefits	0	0
Benefits paid	(194)	(192)
Projected benefit obligation, end of year	3,845	3,685	4,018
Defined Benefit Plan, Change in Fair Value of Plan Assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value, beginning of year	2,709	2,812
Actual return on plan assets	177	(56)
Company contributions	145	145
Benefits paid	(194)	(192)
Plan assets at fair value, end of year	2,837	2,709	$ 2,812
Funded status of the plans	(1,008)	(976)
Amount recorded as:
Current liabilities	0	0
Noncurrent liabilities	(1,008)	(976)
Defined benefit plans liabilities	(1,008)	(976)
Amounts recognized in Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), pre-tax
Net actuarial loss	0	0
Prior service cost (credit)	0	0
Amounts recognized in Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), pre-tax	0	0
Amounts recognized in Regulatory assets(a)
Net actuarial loss	1,641	1,588
Prior service credit	1	4
Regulatory assets	1,642	1,592
DTE Electric | Qualified pension plan
Change in projected benefit obligation
Service cost	69	75
Interest cost	162	$ 156
Defined Benefit Plan, Change in Fair Value of Plan Assets [Roll Forward]
Company contributions	$ 145