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Share-Based Payments (Details) (USD $)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
Dec. 31, 2010
Dec. 31, 2009
Dec. 31, 2008
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Aggregate Disclosures [Abstract]        
Excess Tax Benefit from Share-based Compensation, Financing Activities $ 1,300,000 $ 900,000 $ 900,000  
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Number of Shares Authorized 4,500,000      
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Number of Shares Available for Grant 2,685,615 3,068,850    
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost 12,300,000 10,500,000 8,800,000  
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Tax Benefit from Compensation Expense 4,900,000 4,200,000 3,500,000  
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Total Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized 8,900,000      
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Total Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized, Period for Recognition 1.77      
Employee Service Share Based Compensation Stock Option Disclosures [Abstract]        
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term 0.3      
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Number 47,374 112,599 225,216 320,920
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercises in Period (65,225) (112,617) (95,704)  
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Forfeitures and Expirations in Period 0 0 0  
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range, Lower Range Limit $ 18.58 $ 17.40 $ 17.40 $ 14.94
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range, Upper Range Limit $ 18.90 $ 21.03 $ 21.03 $ 21.03
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Weighted Average Exercise Price $ 18.78 $ 18.80 $ 18.96 $ 18.83
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercises in Period, Weighted Average Exercise Price $ 18.81 $ 19.12 $ 18.54  
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Forfeitures and Expirations in Period, Weighted Average Exercise Price $ 0 $ 0 $ 0  
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercises in Period, Total Intrinsic Value 1,000,000 1,000,000 600,000  
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Intrinsic Value 800,000      
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Cash Received from Exercise of Stock Options 1,200,000      
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Tax Benefit Realized from Exercise of Stock Options 400,000      
Employee Service Share Based Compensation E S P P Disclosures [Abstract]        
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, Employee Stock Purchase Plans 35,476 38,672    
Employee Stock Purchase Plan Shares Remaining For Future Issuance 896,702 932,178    
E S P P Discounted Purchase Price First Six Months 31.27 26.45    
E S P P Discounted Purchase Price Second Six Months 32.30 24.05    
Deferred Compensation Liability, Classified, Noncurrent [Abstract]        
Deferred Compensation Cash-based Arrangements, Liability, Classified, Noncurrent 52,800,000 49,900,000 47,900,000  
Deferred Compensation Cash-based Arrangements Expense Pertaining to Deferred Benefits 4,700,000 4,200,000 3,900,000  
The Connecticut Light And Power Company [Member]
       
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Aggregate Disclosures [Abstract]        
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost 7,100,000 6,200,000 5,300,000  
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Tax Benefit from Compensation Expense 2,800,000 2,500,000 2,100,000  
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Total Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized 5,000,000      
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Total Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized, Period for Recognition 1.77      
Deferred Compensation Liability, Classified, Noncurrent [Abstract]        
Deferred Compensation Cash-based Arrangements, Liability, Classified, Noncurrent 1,200,000 400,000 400,000  
Deferred Compensation Cash-based Arrangements Expense Pertaining to Deferred Benefits 2,600,000 2,300,000 2,200,000  
Public Service Company Of New Hampshire [Member]
       
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Aggregate Disclosures [Abstract]        
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost 2,500,000 2,100,000 1,700,000  
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Tax Benefit from Compensation Expense 1,000,000 900,000 700,000  
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Total Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized 1,800,000      
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Total Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized, Period for Recognition 1.77      
Deferred Compensation Liability, Classified, Noncurrent [Abstract]        
Deferred Compensation Cash-based Arrangements, Liability, Classified, Noncurrent 2,500,000 2,400,000 2,400,000  
Deferred Compensation Cash-based Arrangements Expense Pertaining to Deferred Benefits 1,000,000 900,000 900,000  
Western Massachusetts Electric Company [Member]
       
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Aggregate Disclosures [Abstract]        
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost 1,400,000 1,100,000 900,000  
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Tax Benefit from Compensation Expense 600,000 400,000 400,000  
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Total Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized 1,000,000      
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Total Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized, Period for Recognition 1.76      
Deferred Compensation Liability, Classified, Noncurrent [Abstract]        
Deferred Compensation Cash-based Arrangements, Liability, Classified, Noncurrent 200,000 200,000 200,000  
Deferred Compensation Cash-based Arrangements Expense Pertaining to Deferred Benefits $ 500,000 $ 400,000 $ 400,000  
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member]
       
Employee Service Share Based Compensation Awards Other Than Options Disclosures [Abstract]        
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Equity Instruments Other Than Options Beginning Balance       912,991
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Grants in Period 208,533 258,174 347,112  
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Shares Issued in Period (244,782) (267,951) (203,888)  
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Forfeited in Period (18,310) (13,656) (18,303)  
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Equity Instruments Other Than Options Ending Balance 959,920 1,014,479 1,037,912  
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Equity Instruments Other Than Options Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value Beginning Balance       $ 24.75
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Grants in Period, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value $ 33.87 $ 26.03 $ 23.26  
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Equity Instruments Other Than Options Issued In Period Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value $ 24.47 $ 25.05 $ 25.55  
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Forfeited in Period, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value $ 23.74 $ 24.26 $ 26.26  
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Equity Instruments Other Than Options Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value Ending Balance $ 26.36 $ 24.31 $ 24.07  
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Nonvested, Number 403,108 519,900    
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Nonvested, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value $ 28.70 $ 24.77    
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Vested in Period 292,185      
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Vested in Period, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value $ 25.25      
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Vested Outstanding Number 556,812      
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Expected To Vest 382,953      
R S U Contingent Upon Merger 192,309      
Performance Shares [Member]
       
Employee Service Share Based Compensation Awards Other Than Options Disclosures [Abstract]        
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Equity Instruments Other Than Options Beginning Balance       0
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Grants in Period 244,870 149,520 104,150  
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Shares Issued in Period 0 0 0  
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Forfeited in Period (10,296) (47) (5,064)  
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Equity Instruments Other Than Options Ending Balance 483,133 248,559 99,086  
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Equity Instruments Other Than Options Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value Beginning Balance       $ 0
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Grants in Period, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value $ 33.76 $ 25.24 $ 23.93  
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Equity Instruments Other Than Options Issued In Period Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value $ 0 $ 0 $ 0  
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Forfeited in Period, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value $ 30.47 $ 23.96 $ 23.96  
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Equity Instruments Other Than Options Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value Ending Balance $ 29.18 $ 24.72 $ 23.93  
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Nonvested, Number 377,199 248,559    
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Nonvested, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value $ 30.52 $ 24.72    
Incentive Program 2009 [Member]
       
Employee Service Share Based Compensation Awards Other Than Options Disclosures [Abstract]        
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Vested in Period 105,934      
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Vested in Period, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value $ 24.42      
Incentive Program 2010 [Member]
       
Employee Service Share Based Compensation Performance Share Disclosures [Abstract]        
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Percentage Of Performance Shares Expected To Vest 115.00%      
Incentive Program 2011 [Member]
       
Employee Service Share Based Compensation Performance Share Disclosures [Abstract]        
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Percentage Of Performance Shares Expected To Vest 98.00%