Long-Term Debt (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended									12 Months Ended																12 Months Ended							12 Months Ended													12 Months Ended									12 Months Ended			12 Months Ended						12 Months Ended										12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended							3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009	Dec. 31, 2010 Unsecured Letter of Credit Facility [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Revolving Credit Facility [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Senior Note Due 4/15/2022 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 CoBank Term Loan 2012 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 CoBank Term Loan 2013 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Line of Credit CoBank [Member]	Oct. 14, 2011 Line of Credit CoBank [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Senior Note [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Debentures [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Debentures [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Debentures [Member] Debenture Due 11/1/2025 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Debentures [Member] Debenture Due 8/15/2026 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Debentures [Member] Debenture Due 8/15/2026 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Debentures [Member] Debenture Due 10/1/2034 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Debentures [Member] Debenture Due 10/1/2034 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Debentures [Member] Debenture Due 7/1/2035 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Debentures [Member] Debenture Due 7/1/2035 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Debentures [Member] Debenture Due 10/1/2046 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Debentures [Member] Debenture Due 10/1/2046 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Subsidiary Senior Notes Due 12/1/2012 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Subsidiary Senior Notes Due 12/1/2012 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Rural Utilities Service [Member]		Dec. 31, 2009 Rural Utilities Service [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Senior Unsecured Debt [Member]		Dec. 31, 2009 Senior Unsecured Debt [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Senior Unsecured Debt [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Senior Unsecured Debt [Member] Senior Note [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Senior Unsecured Debt [Member] Senior Note [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Senior Unsecured Debt [Member] Senior Note [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Senior Unsecured Debt [Member] Senior Note [Member] Senior Note Due 5/15/2011 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Senior Unsecured Debt [Member] Senior Note [Member] Senior Note Due 5/15/2011 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Senior Unsecured Debt [Member] Senior Note [Member] Senior Note Due 10/24/2011 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Senior Unsecured Debt [Member] Senior Note [Member] Senior Note Due 10/24/2011 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Senior Unsecured Debt [Member] Senior Note [Member] Senior Note Due 12/31/2012 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Senior Unsecured Debt [Member] Senior Note [Member] Senior Note Due 12/31/2012 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Senior Unsecured Debt [Member] Senior Note [Member] Senior Note Due 1/15/2013 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Senior Unsecured Debt [Member] Senior Note [Member] Senior Note Due 1/15/2013 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Senior Unsecured Debt [Member] Senior Note [Member] Senior Note Due 12/31/2013 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Senior Unsecured Debt [Member] Senior Note [Member] Senior Note Due 12/31/2013 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Senior Unsecured Debt [Member] Senior Note [Member] Senior Note Due 5/1/2014 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Senior Unsecured Debt [Member] Senior Note [Member] Senior Note Due 5/1/2014 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Senior Unsecured Debt [Member] Senior Note [Member] Senior Note Due 5/1/2014 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Senior Unsecured Debt [Member] Senior Note [Member] Senior Note Due 3/15/2015 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Senior Unsecured Debt [Member] Senior Note [Member] Senior Note Due 3/15/2015 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Senior Unsecured Debt [Member] Senior Note [Member] Senior Note Due 4/15/2015 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Senior Unsecured Debt [Member] Senior Note [Member] Senior Note Due 4/15/2015 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Senior Unsecured Debt [Member] Senior Note [Member] Senior Note Due 4/15/2017 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Senior Unsecured Debt [Member] Senior Note [Member] Senior Note Due 4/15/2017 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Senior Unsecured Debt [Member] Senior Note [Member] Senior Note Due 10/1/2018 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Senior Unsecured Debt [Member] Senior Note [Member] Senior Note Due 10/1/2018 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Senior Unsecured Debt [Member] Senior Note [Member] Senior Note Due 10/1/2018 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Senior Unsecured Debt [Member] Senior Note [Member] Senior Note Due 3/15/2019 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Senior Unsecured Debt [Member] Senior Note [Member] Senior Note Due 3/15/2019 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Senior Unsecured Debt [Member] Senior Note [Member] Senior Note Due 3/15/2019 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Senior Unsecured Debt [Member] Senior Note [Member] Senior Note Due 4/15/2020 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Senior Unsecured Debt [Member] Senior Note [Member] Senior Note Due 4/15/2020 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Senior Unsecured Debt [Member] Senior Note [Member] Senior Note Due 4/15/2022 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Senior Unsecured Debt [Member] Senior Note [Member] Senior Note Due 1/15/2027 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Senior Unsecured Debt [Member] Senior Note [Member] Senior Note Due 1/15/2027 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Senior Unsecured Debt [Member] Senior Note [Member] Senior Note Due 1/15/2027 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Senior Unsecured Debt [Member] Senior Note [Member] Senior Note Due 2/15/2028 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Senior Unsecured Debt [Member] Senior Note [Member] Senior Note Due 2/15/2028 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Senior Unsecured Debt [Member] Senior Note [Member] Senior Note Due 10/15/2029 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Senior Unsecured Debt [Member] Senior Note [Member] Senior Note Due 10/15/2029 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Senior Unsecured Debt [Member] Senior Note [Member] Senior Note Due 8/15/2031 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Senior Unsecured Debt [Member] Senior Note [Member] Senior Note Due 8/15/2031 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Senior Unsecured Debt [Member] Senior Note [Member] Debenture Due 11/1/2025 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Senior Unsecured Debt [Member] Senior Note [Member] Debenture Due 8/15/2026 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Senior Unsecured Debt [Member] Senior Note [Member] Senior Note Due 10/14/2016 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Senior Unsecured Debt [Member] Senior Note [Member] Senior Note 2011 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Senior Unsecured Debt [Member] Senior Note [Member] Senior Note 2013 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Senior Unsecured Debt [Member] Senior Note [Member] Senior Note 2009 Tender Offer [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Senior Unsecured Debt [Member] Senior Note [Member] Senior Note 2009 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Industrial Development Revenue Bonds [Member]		Dec. 31, 2009 Cash Tender Offer [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Repurchased Debt Loss [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Repurchased Debt Gain [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, beginning balance	$ 8,326,915,000						$ 500,000,000	$ 143,000,000	$ 130,000,000				$ 458,867,000	$ 458,867,000	$ 138,000,000	$ 1,739,000	$ 1,739,000	$ 628,000	$ 628,000	$ 125,000,000	$ 125,000,000	$ 193,500,000	$ 193,500,000	$ 36,000,000	$ 36,000,000	$ 11,214,000			$ 8,302,151,000						$ 7,830,907,000	$ 0	$ 76,089,000	$ 0	$ 200,000,000	$ 0	$ 144,000,000	$ 580,724,000	$ 580,724,000	$ 0	$ 131,288,000		$ 600,000,000	$ 600,000,000	$ 300,000,000	$ 300,000,000	$ 500,000,000	$ 500,000,000	$ 1,100,000,000	$ 1,100,000,000		$ 600,000,000	$ 600,000,000		$ 434,000,000	$ 434,000,000	$ 1,100,000,000	$ 1,100,000,000	$ 500,000,000		$ 345,858,000	$ 345,858,000	$ 200,000,000	$ 200,000,000	$ 50,000,000	$ 50,000,000	$ 945,325,000	$ 945,325,000	$ 138,000,000		$ 575,000,000					$ 13,550,000
Payments	(552,394,000)																									(1,017,000)			(551,377,000)																																																			0
Borrowings	575,000,000																									0			575,000,000																																																			0
Long-term debt, ending balance	8,349,521,000		8,326,915,000				500,000,000	143,000,000	130,000,000				458,867,000	458,867,000	138,000,000	1,739,000	1,739,000	628,000	628,000	125,000,000	125,000,000	193,500,000	193,500,000	36,000,000	36,000,000	10,197,000			8,325,774,000				7,807,284,000		7,830,907,000	0	76,089,000	0	200,000,000	0	144,000,000	580,724,000	580,724,000	0	131,288,000		600,000,000	600,000,000	300,000,000	300,000,000	500,000,000	500,000,000	1,100,000,000	1,100,000,000		600,000,000	600,000,000		434,000,000	434,000,000	1,100,000,000	1,100,000,000	500,000,000		345,858,000	345,858,000	200,000,000	200,000,000	50,000,000	50,000,000	945,325,000	945,325,000	138,000,000		575,000,000					13,550,000
Less: Debt Discount	(49,664,000)		(63,299,000)
Less: Current Portion	(94,016,000)		(280,002,000)
Principal Outstanding	8,205,841,000		7,983,614,000
Interest Rate (in hundredths)	7.92%	[1]																								6.15%	[1]		7.93%	[1]																																																		6.33%	[1]
Principal Outstanding	8,349,521,000		8,326,915,000				500,000,000	143,000,000	130,000,000				458,867,000	458,867,000	138,000,000	1,739,000	1,739,000	628,000	628,000	125,000,000	125,000,000	193,500,000	193,500,000	36,000,000	36,000,000	10,197,000			8,325,774,000				7,807,284,000		7,830,907,000	0	76,089,000	0	200,000,000	0	144,000,000	580,724,000	580,724,000	0	131,288,000		600,000,000	600,000,000	300,000,000	300,000,000	500,000,000	500,000,000	1,100,000,000	1,100,000,000		600,000,000	600,000,000		434,000,000	434,000,000	1,100,000,000	1,100,000,000	500,000,000		345,858,000	345,858,000	200,000,000	200,000,000	50,000,000	50,000,000	945,325,000	945,325,000	138,000,000		575,000,000					13,550,000
Interest Rate (in hundredths)							8.75%								7.00%	6.80%	6.80%	7.68%	7.68%	7.45%	7.45%	7.05%	7.05%	8.05%	8.05%				7.93%			8.04%				0.00%	9.25%	0.00%	6.27%	0.00%	1.688%	6.25%	6.25%	0.00%	2.063%		8.25%	8.25%	6.625%	6.625%	7.875%	7.875%	8.25%	8.25%		8.125%	8.125%		7.125%	7.125%	8.50%	8.50%	8.75%		7.875%	7.875%	6.73%	6.73%	8.40%	8.40%	9.00%	9.00%	7.00%		3.175%
Senior Notes [Abstract]
Private offering of debt related to the Merger																																	3,200,000,000
Transaction Escrow related to the Merger			125,500,000
Excess received of the special cash payment and the initial purchasers' discount received related to the Merger			53,000,000
Additional debt assumed upon Merger			3,456,782,000																														250,000,000
Retirement of debt				396,700,000																								1,000,000			1,048,300,000			1,047,300,000																								16,000,000						54,100,000										9,900,000			83,400,000	564,400,000	388,900,000			701,600,000
Cash tender offer to purchase certain debt, maximum				700,000,000																																																																														700,000,000
Loss on early retirement of debt, net	0		0	45,939,000																																																																															(53,700,000)	7,800,000
Percentage of face amount of debt issued (in hundredths)												100.00%																																		91.805%									98.441%
Proceeds from issuance of debt				388,900,000																																										538,800,000									578,700,000																					280,800,000	35,900,000
Debt maturity	94,016,000		280,002,000
Credit Agreement [Abstract]
Repayment of the outstanding principal balance, quarterly installments amount										14,375,000
First payment date of the quarterly repayment of the outstanding principal balance	March 31, 2012
Interest rate margin for Base Rate borrowings, minimum (in hundredths)											0.875%
Interest rate margin for Base Rate borrowings, maximum (in hundredths)											2.875%
Interest rate margin for LIBOR borrowings, minimum (in hundredths)											1.875%
Interest rate margin for LIBOR borrowings, maximum (in hundredths)											3.875%
Initial pricing for LIBOR based borrowings (in hundredths)											2.875%
Maximum permitted leverage ratio											4.5
Credit facilities [Abstract]
Line of credit initiation date					October 14, 2011	March 23, 2010
Line of credit facility expiration date					September 20, 2011	January 1, 2014
Line of credit facility maximum borrowing capacity					190,000,000	750,000,000
Exercised extension of commitment					100,000,000
Date that the Bank to exercise its option to extend the commitments					September 20, 2012
Associated facility fees under the Credit Facility percentage (in hundredths)						0.625%
Principal payments by year [Abstract]
Principal Payments 2012	94,016,000
Principal Payments 2013	638,767,000
Principal Payments 2014	658,017,000
Principal Payments 2015	858,049,000
Principal Payments 2016	$ 345,466,000

[1] Interest rate includes amortization of debt issuance costs and debt premiums or discounts. The interest rates at December 31, 2011 represent a weighted average of multiple issuances.