Variable Interest Entities (Schedule Of Variable Interest Entities) (Details) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)
T.E.S. Filer City [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Variable Interest Entity, Qualitative or Quantitative Information, Ownership Percentage	50.00%
Grayling [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Variable Interest Entity, Qualitative or Quantitative Information, Ownership Percentage	50.00%
Genesee [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Variable Interest Entity, Qualitative or Quantitative Information, Ownership Percentage	50.00%
Variable Interest Entity, Reporting Entity Involvement, Maximum Loss Exposure, Amount	$ 8
Genesee [Member] \| Guarantee of Indebtedness of Others [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Variable Interest Entity, Reporting Entity Involvement, Maximum Loss Exposure, Amount	$ 3
Craven [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Variable Interest Entity, Qualitative or Quantitative Information, Ownership Percentage	50.00%

The reporting entity's maximum amount of exposure to loss as a result of its involvement with the Variable Interest Entity (VIE).

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph b
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64801991&loc=d3e5728-111685

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64801991&loc=d3e5747-111685

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
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_VariableInterestEntityLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage of the Variable Interest Entity's (VIE) voting interest owned by (or beneficial interest in) the reporting entity (directly or indirectly).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5A
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64801991&loc=SL6759159-111685

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis=cms_TESFilerCityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis=cms_GraylingMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis=cms_GeneseeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis=us-gaap_GuaranteeOfIndebtednessOfOthersMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis=cms_CravenMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: