Asset Retirement Obligations	12 Months Ended
Asset Retirement Obligations	Dec. 31, 2012
Asset Retirement Obligations	Note R – Asset Retirement Obligations Con Edison and CECONY account for retirement obligations on their assets in accordance with the accounting rules for asset retirement obligations. This accounting standard requires recognition of a liability for legal obligations associated with the retirement of long-lived assets. When the liability is initially recorded, asset retirement costs are capitalized by increasing the carrying amount of the related asset. The liability is accreted to its present value each period and the capitalized cost is depreciated over the useful life of the related asset. Such accretion and depreciation expense, pursuant to accounting rules for regulated operations, is applied against the Companies’ regulatory liabilities. The Utilities include in depreciation expense the estimated removal costs, less salvage, for utility plant assets. In accordance with the accounting rules for asset retirement obligations, future removal costs that do not represent legal asset retirement obligations are recorded as regulatory liabilities pursuant to the accounting rules for regulated operations. The related regulatory liabilities recorded for Con Edison and CECONY were $503 million and $420 million at December 31, 2012 and $448 million and $372 million at December 31, 2011, respectively. The Companies identified future asset retirement obligations associated with the removal of asbestos and asbestos-containing material in their buildings and equipment within the generating stations and substations, and within the steam and gas distribution systems. The Companies also identified asset retirement obligations relating to gas pipelines abandoned in place. The estimates of future liabilities were developed using historical information, and where available, quoted prices from outside contractors. The obligation for the cost of asbestos removal from the Companies’ generating stations and substation structures was not accrued since the retirement dates cannot be reasonably estimated. At December 31, 2012, the liabilities of Con Edison and CECONY for the fair value of their legal asset retirement obligations were $158 million, as compared with $145 million at December 31, 2011. The increase in liabilities at December 31, 2012 was due to changes in estimated cash flows ($24 million) and accretion expense ($6 million), offset in part by liabilities settled ($17 million). Con Edison and CECONY also recorded a reduction of $13 million and $7 million at December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively, to the regulatory liability associated with cost of removal to reflect depreciation and interest expense.
CECONY [Member]
Asset Retirement Obligations	Note R – Asset Retirement Obligations Con Edison and CECONY account for retirement obligations on their assets in accordance with the accounting rules for asset retirement obligations. This accounting standard requires recognition of a liability for legal obligations associated with the retirement of long-lived assets. When the liability is initially recorded, asset retirement costs are capitalized by increasing the carrying amount of the related asset. The liability is accreted to its present value each period and the capitalized cost is depreciated over the useful life of the related asset. Such accretion and depreciation expense, pursuant to accounting rules for regulated operations, is applied against the Companies’ regulatory liabilities. The Utilities include in depreciation expense the estimated removal costs, less salvage, for utility plant assets. In accordance with the accounting rules for asset retirement obligations, future removal costs that do not represent legal asset retirement obligations are recorded as regulatory liabilities pursuant to the accounting rules for regulated operations. The related regulatory liabilities recorded for Con Edison and CECONY were $503 million and $420 million at December 31, 2012 and $448 million and $372 million at December 31, 2011, respectively. The Companies identified future asset retirement obligations associated with the removal of asbestos and asbestos-containing material in their buildings and equipment within the generating stations and substations, and within the steam and gas distribution systems. The Companies also identified asset retirement obligations relating to gas pipelines abandoned in place. The estimates of future liabilities were developed using historical information, and where available, quoted prices from outside contractors. The obligation for the cost of asbestos removal from the Companies’ generating stations and substation structures was not accrued since the retirement dates cannot be reasonably estimated. At December 31, 2012, the liabilities of Con Edison and CECONY for the fair value of their legal asset retirement obligations were $158 million, as compared with $145 million at December 31, 2011. The increase in liabilities at December 31, 2012 was due to changes in estimated cash flows ($24 million) and accretion expense ($6 million), offset in part by liabilities settled ($17 million). Con Edison and CECONY also recorded a reduction of $13 million and $7 million at December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively, to the regulatory liability associated with cost of removal to reflect depreciation and interest expense.

The entire disclosure for an asset retirement obligation and the associated long-lived asset. An asset retirement obligation is a legal obligation associated with the disposal or retirement from service of a tangible long-lived asset that results from the acquisition, construction or development, or the normal operations of a long-lived asset, except for certain obligations of lessees.

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