Short-Term Debt and Liquidity (Commercial Paper outstanding) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Sep. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Commercial paper outstanding	$ 521	$ 484
Ameren (parent)
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Commercial paper outstanding	413	383
Union Electric Company
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Commercial paper outstanding	0	39
Ameren Illinois Company
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Commercial paper outstanding	$ 108	$ 62

Reflects the total carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of debt having initial terms less than one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(19)(a))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(a)(16)(a)(1))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(13))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

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