Nuclear Insurance (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011
Nuclear Insurance (Additional Textual) [Abstract]
Maximum fund for public liability claims arising from a single nuclear incident under Price-Anderson Amendments Act	$ 12,600,000,000
Maximum insurance coverage provided by American Nuclear Insurers to each nuclear plant	375,000,000
Maximum amount that a company could be assessed per incident for each licensed reactor	117,500,000
Maximum aggregate amount that a reactor can assess in a calendar period for each incident	17,500,000
Maximum aggregate amount to be paid in one year	35,000,000
Block period considered for inflation adjustment against maximum assessment per reactor	Every 5 years
Block period considered for inflation adjustment against maximum yearly assessment	Every 5 years
Maximum property damage insurance provided to nuclear generating facilities	500,000,000
Maximum additional coverage provided for losses under excess insurance	2,250,000,000
Maximum deductible waiting period	26 Weeks
Maximum coverage per occurrence per unit limit to obtain replacement power	490,000,000
Frequency of indemnity payments	Weekly over a three year period
Deductable waiting period of Alabama Power and Georgia Power	12 Week
Aggregate payment for claims resulting from terrorist acts in one year period	3,200,000,000
Vogtle Units 3 and 4 [Member]
Nuclear Insurance (Textual) [Abstract]
Maximum limits for accidental property damage occurring during construction	2,750,000,000
Alabama Power [Member]
Nuclear Insurance (Textual) [Abstract]
Maximum assessment, excluding any applicable state premium taxes	235,000,000
Current maximum annual assessments under NEIL policies	43,000,000
Georgia Power [Member]
Nuclear Insurance (Textual) [Abstract]
Maximum assessment, excluding any applicable state premium taxes	237,000,000
Current maximum annual assessments under NEIL policies	$ 69,000,000