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Income Tax - Summary of Unrecognized Tax Benefits (Detail) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]      
Balance at January 1 $ 9us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits $ 86us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits $ 130us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits
Additions based on tax positions related to the current year   5us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromCurrentPeriodTaxPositions 12us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromCurrentPeriodTaxPositions
Additions based on tax positions of prior years 27us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions 253us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions  
Reductions for tax positions of prior years (2)us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions (86)us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions (57)us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions
Settlements   (249)us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromSettlementsWithTaxingAuthorities 1us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromSettlementsWithTaxingAuthorities
Balance at December 31 34us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits 9us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits 86us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits
CECONY [Member]      
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]      
Balance at January 1   74us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= ed_CeconyMember
114us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= ed_CeconyMember
Additions based on tax positions related to the current year     11us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromCurrentPeriodTaxPositions
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= ed_CeconyMember
Additions based on tax positions of prior years 2us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= ed_CeconyMember
   
Reductions for tax positions of prior years   (74)us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= ed_CeconyMember
(52)us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= ed_CeconyMember
Settlements     1us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromSettlementsWithTaxingAuthorities
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= ed_CeconyMember
Balance at December 31 $ 2us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= ed_CeconyMember
  $ 74us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= ed_CeconyMember