Regulatory Matters - Retail Rate Matters (Details) (USD $)	9 Months Ended	23 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011 weeks	Sep. 30, 2011 weeks
PEC
Net carrying value of facilities intended to retire	$ 171,000,000	$ 171,000,000
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals, Date of Transaction for Acquisition or Disposal	Oct. 01, 2011
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals, Description	On October 1, 2011, PEC retired the Weatherspoon coal-fired generating units.
PEC | Fuel Cost Recovery | Regulatory Costs Not Yet Approved | North Carolina Rate
Public utilities, disclosure of date of regulatory filing	June 3, 2011
Increase in rates total	85,000,000
Public utilities, disclosure of effective date	December 1, 2011
Increase in rates per 1,000 kWH	2.75
Disallowed Costs	24,000,000
PEC | Fuel Cost Recovery | Regulatory Costs Approved | South Carolina Rate
Increase in rates total	22,000,000
Public utilities, disclosure of effective date	July 1, 2011
Increase in rates per 1,000 kWH	3.45
PEC | Demand Side Management and Energy Efficiency Cost Recovery | Regulatory Costs Not Yet Approved | North Carolina Rate
Public utilities, disclosure of date of regulatory filing	June 3, 2011
Increase in rates total	24,000,000
Public utilities, disclosure of effective date	December 1, 2011
Increase in rates per 1,000 kWH	1.08
PEC | Demand Side Management and Energy Efficiency Cost Recovery | Regulatory Costs Approved | South Carolina Rate
Increase in rates total	4,000,000
Public utilities, disclosure of effective date	July 1, 2011
Increase in rates per 1,000 kWH	1.25
PEC | NC REPS | Regulatory Costs Not Yet Approved | North Carolina Rate
Public utilities, disclosure of date of regulatory filing	June 3, 2011
Increase in rates total	9,000,000
Public utilities, disclosure of effective date	December 1, 2011
Decrease in rates per 1,000 kWH	0.02
PEC | Regulatory Costs Not Yet Approved | North Carolina Rate
Percent increase in rates	3.70%
PEC | Regulatory Costs Approved | South Carolina Rate
Percent increase in rates	4.70%
PEF
Nuclear operating license, expiration period	December 2016
PEF | Fuel Cost Recovery | Regulatory Costs Not Yet Approved
Public utilities, disclosure of date of regulatory filing	September 1, 2011
Increase in rates total	162,000,000
Public utilities, disclosure of effective date	January 1, 2012
Increase in rates per 1,000 kWH	3.32
Percent increase in rates	2.78%
PEF | Fuel Cost Recovery | Regulatory Costs Not Yet Approved | Capacity Cost Recovery Clause
Decrease in rates per 1,000 kWH	0.67
PEF | Fuel Cost Recovery | Regulatory Costs Not Yet Approved | Projected Recovery Of Fuel Costs
Increase in rates per 1,000 kWH	3.99
PEF | Base Rate Settlement Agreement | Regulatory Costs Approved
Public utilities, cost of removal reserve, reduction for period subject to regulatory order 2010	150,000,000
Public utilities, cost of removal reserve, reduction for period subject to regulatory order 2011	250,000,000
Public utilities, cost of removal reserve, prior year carryforward	90,000,000	90,000,000
Public utilities, cost of removal reserve, reduction taken subject to regulatory order	205,000,000
Public utilities, cost of removal reserve, amount subject to regulatory order	294,000,000	294,000,000
PEF | Nuclear Cost Recovery | CR3 Outage
Repair costs, range of possible costs, minimum	900,000,000	900,000,000
Repair costs, range of possible costs, maximum	1,300,000,000	1,300,000,000
Property, return to service date	2014	2014
Replacement power insurance coverage weeks, primary	52	52
Replacement power insurance coverage amount per week, primary	4,500,000	4,500,000
Replacement power insurance coverage weeks, additional	71	71
Replacement power insurance coverage expiration	August 2012	August 2012
Replacement power insurance coverage amount per week, additional	3,600,000	3,600,000
Replacement power insurance coverage amount, total	490,000,000	490,000,000
NEIL coverage per company at each nuclear plant	2,250,000,000	2,250,000,000
Insurance deductible per claim	10,000,000	10,000,000
Replacement power costs incurred		457,000,000
NEIL insurance recoveries related to replacement power costs	(45,000,000)	(162,000,000)
Estimated insurance recoveries, replacement power	(162,000,000)	(162,000,000)
Amount included in deferred fuel regulatory asset, replacement power costs	133,000,000	133,000,000
Amount of repair costs incurred	229,000,000	229,000,000
NEIL insurance recoveries related to repair costs		(136,000,000)
Estimated insurance recoveries, repair costs	(48,000,000)	(48,000,000)
Repair costs to be recovered	45,000,000	45,000,000
PEF | Nuclear Cost Recovery | Regulatory Costs Approved
Decrease in rates total	78,000,000
Public utilities, disclosure of effective date	January 2012
Decrease in rates per 1,000 kWH	2.67
Refund of over-recovery	55,000,000
Amount for recovery of prior year deferral in future periods	60,000,000
PEF | Environmental Cost Recovery Clause | Regulatory Costs Not Yet Approved
Public utilities, disclosure of date of regulatory filing	August 26, 2011
Increase in rates total	$ 24,000,000
Public utilities, disclosure of effective date	January 1, 2012
Increase in rates per 1,000 kWH	0.54
Percent increase in rates	0.50%
PEF | Energy Conservation Cost Recovery Clause | Regulatory Costs Approved
Public utilities, disclosure of effective date	January 1, 2012
Decrease in rates per 1,000 kWH	0.11
Percent decrease in rates	0.10%