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SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Details 3) (USD $)
0 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2014
item
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Oct. 31, 2014
Asset Retirement Obligation            
Proportionate ownership interest (as a percent) 12.00%us-gaap_JointlyOwnedUtilityPlantProportionateOwnershipShare   12.00%us-gaap_JointlyOwnedUtilityPlantProportionateOwnershipShare      
Change in asset retirement obligation            
Opening balance of asset retirement obligation $ 4,847,000us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligation $ 4,190,000us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligation $ 4,190,000us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligation $ 4,711,000us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligation    
Liabilities settled     (1,175,000)us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesSettled (734,000)us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesSettled    
Accretion     (172,000)us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationAccretionExpense (213,000)us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationAccretionExpense    
Cash Flow Revisions     1,660,000us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationRevisionOfEstimate      
Closing balance of asset retirement obligation 4,847,000us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligation 4,190,000us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligation 4,847,000us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligation 4,190,000us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligation 4,711,000us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligation  
Allowance for Funds Used During Construction            
Aggregate rates (on a before-tax basis)     6.60%us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesAllowanceForFundsUsedDuringConstructionRate 7.30%us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesAllowanceForFundsUsedDuringConstructionRate 5.60%us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesAllowanceForFundsUsedDuringConstructionRate  
Asset Impairments (excluding goodwill)            
Assets impaired 0us-gaap_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsHeldForUse 0us-gaap_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsHeldForUse        
Goodwill            
Number of assumptions whose negative charge will affect impairment     1ede_NumberOfAssumptionsWhoseNegativeChargeWillAffectImpairment      
Number of approaches used to estimate the fair value     2ede_FairValueMeasurementNumberOfApproaches      
Fuel and Purchased Power            
Inventory allowances 0us-gaap_InventoryValuationReserves   0us-gaap_InventoryValuationReserves      
Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits            
Percentage that unrecognized gains or losses must exceed postretirement benefit obligation or fair value of plan assets for recognition of additional income or expense     10.00%ede_DefinedBenefitPlanPercentageExcessOfUnrecognizedGainsLossesOverGreaterOfPostretirementBenefitObligationsOrFairValueOfPlanAssetsAdditionalIncomeExpenseRecognition      
Amortization period of unrecognized gains or losses into actuarial expense     10 years      
Cash & Cash Equivalents            
Checks and electronic fund transfers that have been issued but not cleared through bank 28,300,000ede_CashAndCashEquivalentsIssuedNotClearedThroughBank 22,100,000ede_CashAndCashEquivalentsIssuedNotClearedThroughBank 28,300,000ede_CashAndCashEquivalentsIssuedNotClearedThroughBank 22,100,000ede_CashAndCashEquivalentsIssuedNotClearedThroughBank    
Restricted Cash            
Amounts restricted for construction costs         2,500,000ede_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalentsRelatedToConstructionCosts  
Amounts restricted for operating costs 1,800,000ede_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalentsRelatedToOperatingCosts 1,800,000ede_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalentsRelatedToOperatingCosts 1,800,000ede_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalentsRelatedToOperatingCosts 1,800,000ede_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalentsRelatedToOperatingCosts    
Electric            
Fuel and Purchased Power            
Number of SO2 allowances in inventory     872ede_NumberOfSO2AllowanceInInventory
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ede_ElectricMember
1,834ede_NumberOfSO2AllowanceInInventory
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ede_ElectricMember
   
Electric | Missouri Public Service Commission (MPSC)            
Fuel and Purchased Power            
Percentage of changes in fuel and purchased power costs from the base cost permitted for distribution to customers under fuel adjustment clause     95.00%ede_FuelAdjustmentClausePercentageOfChangesInFuelAndPurchasedPowerCostsIncurredPermittedForDistributionToCustomer
/ us-gaap_RegulatoryAgencyAxis
= ede_MissouriPublicServiceCommissionMPSCMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ede_ElectricMember
     
Gas            
Fuel and Purchased Power            
Maximum number of rate changes allowed by PGA clause throughout the year     4ede_GasAdjustmentClauseMaximumNumberOfRateChangesThroughoutYear
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ede_GasMember
     
SPP            
Restricted Cash            
Amounts restricted for secured collateral 2,500,000ede_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalentsRelatedForSecuredCollateral
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= ede_SouthwestPowerPoolMember
1,100,000ede_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalentsRelatedForSecuredCollateral
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= ede_SouthwestPowerPoolMember
2,500,000ede_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalentsRelatedForSecuredCollateral
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= ede_SouthwestPowerPoolMember
1,100,000ede_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalentsRelatedForSecuredCollateral
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= ede_SouthwestPowerPoolMember
   
MISO            
Restricted Cash            
Amounts restricted for secured collateral 500,000ede_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalentsRelatedForSecuredCollateral
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= ede_MidcontinentIndependentSystemOperatorMember
0ede_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalentsRelatedForSecuredCollateral
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= ede_MidcontinentIndependentSystemOperatorMember
500,000ede_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalentsRelatedForSecuredCollateral
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= ede_MidcontinentIndependentSystemOperatorMember
0ede_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalentsRelatedForSecuredCollateral
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= ede_MidcontinentIndependentSystemOperatorMember
   
Low end of range            
Asset Retirement Obligation            
Credit adjusted risk-free rate (as a percent) 4.50%ede_AssetRetirementObligationCreditAdjustedRiskFreeDiscountingRate
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
  4.50%ede_AssetRetirementObligationCreditAdjustedRiskFreeDiscountingRate
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
     
Low end of range | Gas            
Goodwill            
Excess fair value of the reporting unit over carrying value           10,000,000ede_ExcessOfFairValueOfReportingUnitOverCarryingAmountPercentage
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ede_GasMember
High end of range            
Asset Retirement Obligation            
Credit adjusted risk-free rate (as a percent) 5.52%ede_AssetRetirementObligationCreditAdjustedRiskFreeDiscountingRate
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
  5.52%ede_AssetRetirementObligationCreditAdjustedRiskFreeDiscountingRate
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
     
High end of range | Gas            
Goodwill            
Excess fair value of the reporting unit over carrying value           $ 14,000,000ede_ExcessOfFairValueOfReportingUnitOverCarryingAmountPercentage
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ede_GasMember