Variable Interest Entities (VIEs)	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2012
Variable Interest Entities [Abstract]
Variable Interest Entities (VIEs)	6. Variable Interest Entities (VIEs) As of March 31, 2012, NEE has nine VIEs which it consolidates and has interests in certain other VIEs which it does not consolidate. FPL - FPL is considered the primary beneficiary of, and therefore consolidates, a VIE that is a wholly-owned bankruptcy remote special purpose subsidiary that it formed in 2007 for the sole purpose of issuing storm-recovery bonds pursuant to the securitization provisions of the Florida Statutes and a financing order of the FPSC. FPL is considered the primary beneficiary because FPL has the power to direct the significant activities of the VIE, and its equity investment, which is subordinate to the bondholder's interest in the VIE, is at risk. Storm restoration costs incurred by FPL during 2005 and 2004 exceeded the amount in FPL's funded storm and property insurance reserve, resulting in a storm reserve deficiency. In 2007, the VIE issued $652 million aggregate principal amount of senior secured bonds (storm-recovery bonds), primarily for the after-tax equivalent of the total of FPL's unrecovered balance of the 2004 storm restoration costs, the 2005 storm restoration costs and approximately $200 million to reestablish FPL's storm and property insurance reserve. In connection with this financing, net proceeds, after debt issuance costs, to the VIE (approximately $644 million) were used to acquire the storm-recovery property, which includes the right to impose, collect and receive a storm-recovery charge from all customers receiving electric transmission or distribution service from FPL under rate schedules approved by the FPSC or under special contracts, certain other rights and interests that arise under the financing order issued by the FPSC and certain other collateral pledged by the VIE that issued the bonds. The storm-recovery bonds are payable only from and are secured by the storm-recovery property. The bondholders have no recourse to the general credit of FPL. The assets of the VIE were approximately $375 million and $406 million at March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively, and consisted primarily of storm-recovery property, which are included in securitized storm-recovery costs on NEE's and FPL's condensed consolidated balance sheets. The liabilities of the VIE were approximately $464 million and $496 million at March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively, and consisted primarily of storm-recovery bonds, which are included in long-term debt on NEE's and FPL's condensed consolidated balance sheets. FPL identified a potential VIE, which is considered a qualifying facility as defined by the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978, as amended (PURPA). PURPA requires utilities, such as FPL, to purchase the electricity output of a qualifying facility. FPL entered into a purchased power agreement (PPA) effective in 1994 with this 250 megawatt (mw) coal-fired qualifying facility to purchase substantially all of the facility's capacity and electrical output over a substantial portion of its estimated useful life. FPL absorbs a portion of the facility's variability related to changes in the market price of coal through the price it pays per mwh (energy payment). After making exhaustive efforts, FPL was unable to obtain the information from the facility necessary to determine whether the facility is a VIE or whether FPL is the primary beneficiary of the facility. The PPA with the facility contains no provision which legally obligates the facility to release this information to FPL. The energy payments paid by FPL will fluctuate as coal prices change. This fluctuation does not expose FPL to losses since the energy payments paid by FPL to the facility are passed on to FPL's customers through the fuel clause as approved by the FPSC. Notwithstanding the fact that FPL's energy payments are recovered through the fuel clause, if the facility was determined to be a VIE, the absorption of some of the facility's fuel price variability might cause FPL to be considered the primary beneficiary. During the three months ended March 31, 2012 and 2011, FPL purchased 98,941 mwh and 256,675 mwh, respectively, from the facility at a total cost of approximately $40 million and $43 million, respectively. Additionally, FPL entered into a PPA effective in 1995 with a 330 mw coal-fired qualifying facility to purchase substantially all of the facility's electrical output over a substantial portion of its estimated useful life. The facility is considered a VIE because FPL absorbs a portion of the facility’s variability related to changes in the market price of coal through the energy payment. Since FPL does not control the most significant activities of the facility, including operations and maintenance, FPL is not the primary beneficiary and does not consolidate this VIE. The energy payments paid by FPL will fluctuate as coal prices change. This fluctuation does not expose FPL to losses since the energy payments paid by FPL to the facility are passed on to FPL’s customers through the fuel clause as approved by the FPSC. NEER - NEE consolidates eight NEER VIEs. NEER is considered the primary beneficiary of these VIEs since NEER controls the most significant activities of these VIEs, including operations and maintenance, and through its 100% equity ownership has the obligation to absorb expected losses of these VIEs. An NEER VIE consolidates two entities which own and operate natural gas/oil electric generating facilities with the capability of producing 110 mw. This VIE sells its electric output under power sales contracts to a third party, with expiration dates in 2018 and 2020. The power sales contracts provide the offtaker the ability to dispatch the facilities and require the offtaker to absorb the cost of fuel. This VIE uses third party debt and equity to finance its operations. The debt is secured by liens against the generating facilities and the other assets of these entities. The debt holders have no recourse to the general credit of NEER. The assets and liabilities of the VIE were approximately $101 million and $77 million, respectively, at March 31, 2012 and $105 million and $82 million, respectively, at December 31, 2011, and consisted primarily of property, plant and equipment and long-term debt. The other seven NEER VIEs consolidate several entities which own and operate wind electric generating facilities with the capability of producing a total of 2,579 mw. Six of these VIEs sell their electric output under power sales contracts to third parties with expiration dates ranging from 2018 through 2037; the seventh VIE sells its electric output in the spot market. The VIEs use third-party debt and/or equity to finance their operations. Certain investors that hold no equity interest in the VIEs hold differential membership interests, which give them the right to receive a portion of the economic attributes of the generating facilities, including certain tax attributes. The debt is secured by liens against the generating facilities and the other assets of these entities. The debt holders have no recourse to the general credit of NEER. The assets and liabilities of these VIEs totaled approximately $4.1 billion and $2.8 billion, respectively, at March 31, 2012. Six of the VIEs were consolidated at December 31, 2011, and the assets and liabilities of those VIEs totaled approximately $3.2 billion and $2.6 billion, respectively, at December 31, 2011. At March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, the assets and liabilities of the VIEs consisted primarily of property, plant and equipment, deferral related to differential membership interests and long-term debt. Other - As of March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, several NEE subsidiaries have investments totaling approximately $683 million ($531 million at FPL) and $668 million ($526 million at FPL), respectively, in certain special purpose entities, which consisted primarily of investments in mortgage-backed securities. These investments are included in special use funds and other investments on NEE's condensed consolidated balance sheets and in special use funds on FPL's condensed consolidated balance sheets. As of March 31, 2012, NEE subsidiaries are not the primary beneficiary and therefore do not consolidate any of these entities because they do not control any of the ongoing activities of these entities, were not involved in the initial design of these entities and do not have a controlling financial interest in these entities.

6. Variable Interest Entities (VIEs)

As of March 31, 2012, NEE has nine VIEs which it consolidates and has interests in certain other VIEs which it does not consolidate.

FPL - FPL is considered the primary beneficiary of, and therefore consolidates, a VIE that is a wholly-owned bankruptcy remote special purpose subsidiary that it formed in 2007 for the sole purpose of issuing storm-recovery bonds pursuant to the securitization provisions of the Florida Statutes and a financing order of the FPSC. FPL is considered the primary beneficiary because FPL has the power to direct the significant activities of the VIE, and its equity investment, which is subordinate to the bondholder's interest in the VIE, is at risk. Storm restoration costs incurred by FPL during 2005 and 2004 exceeded the amount in FPL's funded storm and property insurance reserve, resulting in a storm reserve deficiency. In 2007, the VIE issued $652 million aggregate principal amount of senior secured bonds (storm-recovery bonds), primarily for the after-tax equivalent of the total of FPL's unrecovered balance of the 2004 storm restoration costs, the 2005 storm restoration costs and approximately $200 million to reestablish FPL's storm and property insurance reserve. In connection with this financing, net proceeds, after debt issuance costs, to the VIE (approximately $644 million) were used to acquire the storm-recovery property, which includes the right to impose, collect and receive a storm-recovery charge from all customers receiving electric transmission or distribution service from FPL under rate schedules approved by the FPSC or under special contracts, certain other rights and interests that arise under the financing order issued by the FPSC and certain other collateral pledged by the VIE that issued the bonds. The storm-recovery bonds are payable only from and are secured by the storm-recovery property. The bondholders have no recourse to the general credit of FPL. The assets of the VIE were approximately $375 million and $406 million at March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively, and consisted primarily of storm-recovery property, which are included in securitized storm-recovery costs on NEE's and FPL's condensed consolidated balance sheets. The liabilities of the VIE were approximately $464 million and $496 million at March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively, and consisted primarily of storm-recovery bonds, which are included in long-term debt on NEE's and FPL's condensed consolidated balance sheets.

FPL identified a potential VIE, which is considered a qualifying facility as defined by the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978, as amended (PURPA). PURPA requires utilities, such as FPL, to purchase the electricity output of a qualifying facility. FPL entered into a purchased power agreement (PPA) effective in 1994 with this 250 megawatt (mw) coal-fired qualifying facility to purchase substantially all of the facility's capacity and electrical output over a substantial portion of its estimated useful life. FPL absorbs a portion of the facility's variability related to changes in the market price of coal through the price it pays per mwh (energy payment). After making exhaustive efforts, FPL was unable to obtain the information from the facility necessary to determine whether the facility is a VIE or whether FPL is the primary beneficiary of the facility. The PPA with the facility contains no provision which legally obligates the facility to release this information to FPL. The energy payments paid by FPL will fluctuate as coal prices change. This fluctuation does not expose FPL to losses since the energy payments paid by FPL to the facility are passed on to FPL's customers through the fuel clause as approved by the FPSC. Notwithstanding the fact that FPL's energy payments are recovered through the fuel clause, if the facility was determined to be a VIE, the absorption of some of the facility's fuel price variability might cause FPL to be considered the primary beneficiary. During the three months ended March 31, 2012 and 2011, FPL purchased 98,941 mwh and 256,675 mwh, respectively, from the facility at a total cost of approximately $40 million and $43 million, respectively.

Additionally, FPL entered into a PPA effective in 1995 with a 330 mw coal-fired qualifying facility to purchase substantially all of the facility's electrical output over a substantial portion of its estimated useful life. The facility is considered a VIE because FPL absorbs a portion of the facility’s variability related to changes in the market price of coal through the energy payment. Since FPL does not control the most significant activities of the facility, including operations and maintenance, FPL is not the primary beneficiary and does not consolidate this VIE. The energy payments paid by FPL will fluctuate as coal prices change. This fluctuation does not expose FPL to losses since the energy payments paid by FPL to the facility are passed on to FPL’s customers through the fuel clause as approved by the FPSC.

NEER - NEE consolidates eight NEER VIEs. NEER is considered the primary beneficiary of these VIEs since NEER controls the most significant activities of these VIEs, including operations and maintenance, and through its 100% equity ownership has the obligation to absorb expected losses of these VIEs.

An NEER VIE consolidates two entities which own and operate natural gas/oil electric generating facilities with the capability of producing 110 mw. This VIE sells its electric output under power sales contracts to a third party, with expiration dates in 2018 and 2020. The power sales contracts provide the offtaker the ability to dispatch the facilities and require the offtaker to absorb the cost of fuel. This VIE uses third party debt and equity to finance its operations. The debt is secured by liens against the generating facilities and the other assets of these entities. The debt holders have no recourse to the general credit of NEER. The assets and liabilities of the VIE were approximately $101 million and $77 million, respectively, at March 31, 2012 and $105 million and $82 million, respectively, at December 31, 2011, and consisted primarily of property, plant and equipment and long-term debt.

The other seven NEER VIEs consolidate several entities which own and operate wind electric generating facilities with the capability of producing a total of 2,579 mw. Six of these VIEs sell their electric output under power sales contracts to third parties with expiration dates ranging from 2018 through 2037; the seventh VIE sells its electric output in the spot market. The VIEs use third-party debt and/or equity to finance their operations. Certain investors that hold no equity interest in the VIEs hold differential membership interests, which give them the right to receive a portion of the economic attributes of the generating facilities, including certain tax attributes. The debt is secured by liens against the generating facilities and the other assets of these entities. The debt holders have no recourse to the general credit of NEER. The assets and liabilities of these VIEs totaled approximately $4.1 billion and $2.8 billion, respectively, at March 31, 2012. Six of the VIEs were consolidated at December 31, 2011, and the assets and liabilities of those VIEs totaled approximately $3.2 billion and $2.6 billion, respectively, at December 31, 2011. At March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, the assets and liabilities of the VIEs consisted primarily of property, plant and equipment, deferral related to differential membership interests and long-term debt.

Other - As of March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, several NEE subsidiaries have investments totaling approximately $683 million ($531 million at FPL) and $668 million ($526 million at FPL), respectively, in certain special purpose entities, which consisted primarily of investments in mortgage-backed securities. These investments are included in special use funds and other investments on NEE's condensed consolidated balance sheets and in special use funds on FPL's condensed consolidated balance sheets. As of March 31, 2012, NEE subsidiaries are not the primary beneficiary and therefore do not consolidate any of these entities because they do not control any of the ongoing activities of these entities, were not involved in the initial design of these entities and do not have a controlling financial interest in these entities.