Other Postretirement Benefits (Tables) (Other Postretirement Benefits [Member])

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Other Postretirement Benefits [Member]

Net Periodic Postretirement Benefit Costs

	Con Edison									CECONY
(millions of dollars)	2011			2010			2009			2011			2010			2009
Service cost	$	26		$	24		$	22		$	20		$	19		$	18
Interest cost on accumulated other postretirement benefit obligation		83			91			95			72			80			84
Expected return on plan assets		(88	)		(86	)		(86	)		(78	)		(78	)		(78	)
Amortization of net actuarial loss		88			92			74			80			85			65
Amortization of prior service cost		(10	)		(12	)		(12	)		(11	)		(14	)		(14	)
Amortization of transition obligation		4			3			3			4			3			3
NET PERIODIC POSTRETIREMENT BENEFIT COST	$	103		$	112		$	96		$	87		$	95		$	78
Cost capitalized		(35	)		(39	)		(35	)		(29	)		(33	)		(29	)
Cost charged		14			4			3			13			1			1
Cost charged to operating expenses	$	82		$	77		$	64		$	71		$	63		$	50

Schedule Of Funded Status

	Con Edison									CECONY
(millions of dollars)	2011			2010			2009			2011			2010			2009
CHANGE IN BENEFIT OBLIGATION
Benefit obligation at beginning of year	$	1,642		$	1,697		$	1,702		$	1,426		$	1,495		$	1,495
Service cost		25			24			22			20			19			18
Interest cost on accumulated postretirement benefit obligation		83			91			95			72			80			84
Net actuarial loss/(gain)		109			(68	)		(14	)		86			(77	)		(3	)
Benefits paid and administrative expenses		(144	)		(138	)		(141	)		(132	)		(126	)		(130	)
Participant contributions		33			29			26			32			28			25
Medicare prescription benefit		8			7			7			7			7			6
BENEFIT OBLIGATION AT END OF YEAR	$	1,756		$	1,642		$	1,697		$	1,511		$	1,426		$	1,495
CHANGE IN PLAN ASSETS
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year	$	942		$	866		$	737		$	839		$	777		$	668
Actual return on plan assets		20			89			153			19			78			137
Employer contributions		84			96			86			74			85			73
Participant contributions		33			29			26			32			28			25
Benefits paid		(132	)		(138	)		(136	)		(124	)		(129	)		(126	)
FAIR VALUE OF PLAN ASSETS AT END OF YEAR	$	947		$	942		$	866		$	840		$	839		$	777
FUNDED STATUS	$	(809	)	$	(700	)	$	(831	)	$	(671	)	$	(587	)	$	(718	)
Unrecognized net loss		563			483			646			496			601			728
Unrecognized prior service costs		(1	)		(10	)		(23	)		(15	)		(40	)		(54	)
Unrecognized net transition liability at January 1, 1993		4			7			11			4			11			15

Schedule Of Assumptions

	2011			2010			2009
Weighted-average assumptions used to determine benefit obligations at December 31:
Discount Rate		4.55	%		5.40	%		5.95	%
Weighted-average assumptions used to determine net periodic benefit cost for the years ended December 31:
Discount Rate		5.40	%		5.95	%		5.75	%
Expected Return on Plan Assets
Tax-Exempt		8.50	%		8.50	%		8.50	%
Taxable
CECONY		7.50	%		7.50	%		7.50	%
O&R		8.00	%		8.00	%		8.00	%

Schedule Of Change Of Assumed Health Care Cost Trend Rate

	Con Edison							CECONY
	1-Percentage-Point
(millions of dollars)	Increase			Decrease				Increase				Decrease
Effect on accumulated other postretirement benefit obligation		$	8		$	(5	)		$	(25	)		$	22
Effect on service cost and interest cost components for 2011			1			(1	)			(1	)			1

Schedule Of Expected Benefit Payments

(millions of dollars)	2012		2013		2014		2015		2016		2017-2021
GROSS BENEFIT PAYMENTS
Con Edison	$	122	$	124	$	126	$	128	$	128	$	640
CECONY		110		112		113		114		114		559
MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION BENEFIT RECEIPTS
Con Edison	$	12	$	13	$	14	$	15	$	16	$	94
CECONY		11		12		13		14		14		85

Schedule Of Fair Value Of Plan Assets

(millions of dollars)	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
U.S. Equity(a)	$	115	$	162	$	—	$	277
International Equity(b)		—		104		—		104
Other Fixed Income(c)		—		207		—		207
Cash and Cash Equivalents(d)		—		18		—		18
Total investments	$	115	$	491	$	—	$	606
Funds for retiree health benefits(e)		174		134		28		336
Investments (including funds for retiree health benefits)	$	289	$	625	$	28	$	942
Pending activities(f)								5
Total fair value of plan net assets							$	947

(a) U.S. Equity includes both actively- and passively-managed assets with investments in domestic equity index funds and commingled funds.

(b) International Equity includes commingled international equity funds.

(c) Other Fixed Income includes commingled funds, which are valued at Net Asset Value (NAV).

(d) Cash and Cash Equivalents include short term investments and money markets.

(e) The Companies set aside funds for retiree health benefits through a separate account within the pension trust, as permitted under Section 401(h) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. In accordance with the Code, the plan's investments in the 401(h) account may not be used for, or diverted to, any purpose other than providing health benefits for retirees. The net assets held in the 401(h) account are calculated based on a pro-rata percentage allocation of the net assets in the pension plan. The related obligations for health benefits are not included in the pension plan's obligations and are included in the Companies' other postretirement benefit obligation. See Note E.

(f) Pending activities include security purchases and sales that have not settled, interest and dividends that have not been received, and reflects adjustments for available estimates at year end.

(millions of dollars)	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
U.S. Equity(a)	$	118	$	172	$	—	$	290
International Equity(b)		—		107		—		107
Other Fixed Income(c)		—		—		189		189
Cash and Cash Equivalents(d)		—		11		—		11
Total investments	$	118	$	290	$	189	$	597
Funds for retiree health benefits(e)		226		103		30		359
Investments (including funds for retiree health benefits)	$	344	$	393	$	219	$	956
Pending activities(f)								(14	)
Total fair value of plan net assets							$	942

(a) U.S. Equity includes both actively- and passively-managed assets with investments in domestic equity index funds and commingled funds.

(b) International Equity includes commingled international equity funds.

(c) Other Fixed Income includes commingled funds, which are valued at Net Asset Value (NAV).

(d) Cash and Cash Equivalents include short term investments and money markets.

(e) The Companies set aside funds for retiree health benefits through a separate account within the pension trust, as permitted under Section 401(h) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. In accordance with the Code, the plan's investments in the 401(h) account may not be used for, or diverted to, any purpose other than providing health benefits for retirees. The net assets held in the 401(h) account are calculated based on a pro-rata percentage allocation of the net assets in the pension plan. The related obligations for health benefits are not included in the pension plan's obligations and are included in the Companies' other postretirement benefit obligation. See Note E.

(f) Pending activities include security purchases and sales that have not settled, interest and dividends that have not been received, and reflects adjustments for available estimates at year end.

Reconciliation Of Fair Value Balances For Net Assets

The table below provides a reconciliation of the beginning and ending net balances for assets at December 31, 2011 classified as Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy.

(millions of dollars)	Beginning Balance as of January 1, 2011		Assets Still Held at Reporting Date – Unrealized Gains (Losses)			Assets Sold During the Period – Realized (Losses)			Purchases Sales and Settlements		Transfers Out of Level 3			Ending Balance as of December 31, 2011
Other Fixed Income	$	189	$	—		$	—		$	—	$	(189	)	$	—
Insurance Contracts		—		—			—			—		—			—
Total investments	$	189		—			—			—		(189	)	$	—
Funds for retiree health benefits		30		(3	)		(1	)		2		—			28
Investments (including funds for retiree health benefits)	$	219	$	(3	)	$	(1	)	$	2	$	(189	)	$	28

The table below provides a reconciliation of the beginning and ending net balances for assets at December 31, 2010 classified as Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy.

(millions of dollars)	Beginning Balance as of January 1, 2010		Assets Still Held at Reporting Date – Unrealized Gains/(Losses)		Assets Sold During the Period – Realized Gains/(Losses)			Purchases Sales and Settlements			Ending Balance as of December 31, 2010
Other Fixed Income	$	173	$	11	$	1		$	4		$	189
Insurance Contracts		8		—		(1	)		(7	)		—
Total investments	$	181	$	11	$	—		$	(3	)	$	189
Funds for retiree health benefits		28		3		2			(3	)		30
Investments (including funds for retiree health benefits)	$	209	$	14	$	2		$	(6	)	$	219