Debt instrument due date.

No definition available.

Name:	ck0000096271_DebtInstrumentDueDate
Namespace Prefix:	ck0000096271_
Data Type:	xbrli:gYearItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Debt instrument maturity date year.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ck0000096271_DebtInstrumentMaturityDateYear
Namespace Prefix:	ck0000096271_
Data Type:	xbrli:gYearItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage points added to the reference rate to compute the variable rate on the debt instrument.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentBasisSpreadOnVariableRate1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64930739&loc=d3e28878-108400

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64930785&loc=d3e28551-108399

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Date when the debt instrument is scheduled to be fully repaid, in CCYY-MM-DD format.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(2))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentMaturityDate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Date the debt instrument was offered for sale, in CCYY-MM-DD format.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84159872&loc=d3e21475-112644

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(22))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentOfferingDate1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Start date of debt instrument redemption period, in CCYY-MM-DD format.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 470
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph e
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=75038535&loc=d3e64711-112823

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPeriodStartDate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage price of original principal amount of debt at which debt can be redeemed by the issuer.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPricePercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage of principal amount of debt redeemed.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPricePercentageOfPrincipalAmountRedeemed
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The cash outflow for debt initially having maturity due after one year or beyond the normal operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 15
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98514028&loc=d3e3291-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=us-gaap_BondsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=ck0000096271_FourPointTwoZeroPercentageNotesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_NotesPayableOtherPayablesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=ck0000096271_VariableRateBondsDueTwoThousandTwentyMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=ck0000096271_TermRateRefundingBondsDueTwoThousandTwentyFiveMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=ck0000096271_TermRateRefundingBondsDueTwoThousandThirtyMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=ck0000096271_TermRateRefundingBondsDueTwoThousandThirtyFourMember
Namespace Prefix:
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Long-Term Debt - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions		12 Months Ended
	May 20, 2015	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Purchase in lieu of redemption		$ 0	$ 83	$ 83
Held Bonds [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Purchase in lieu of redemption		233	233
4.20% Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, maturity year	2045
4.20% Notes [Member] \| The TEC 2015 Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Aggregate principal amount issued	$ 250
Stated interest rate	4.20%
Debt instrument maturity date	May 15, 2045
Redeemable principal amount percentage	100.00%
Basis spread on federal funds rate	0.20%
Redeemable principal amount percentage	100.00%
Debt instrument, start date of redemption	Nov. 15, 2044
Debt instrument, offering date	May 20, 2015
Variable Rate Bonds Due 2020 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Purchase in lieu of redemption		$ 20	$ 20
Purchase in lieu of redemption, due year		2020	2020
Term Rate Refunding Bonds Due 2025 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Purchase in lieu of redemption		$ 52	$ 52
Purchase in lieu of redemption, due year		2025	2025
Term Rate Refunding Bonds Due 2030 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Purchase in lieu of redemption		$ 75	$ 75
Purchase in lieu of redemption, due year		2030	2030
Term Rate Refunding Bonds Due 2034 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Purchase in lieu of redemption		$ 86	$ 86
Purchase in lieu of redemption, due year		2034	2034