Consolidated Statements of Income (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2011
Revenues
Utility Operations	$ 3,363,000,000	$ 3,497,000,000
Other Revenues	262,000,000	233,000,000
TOTAL REVENUES	3,625,000,000	3,730,000,000
Expenses
Fuel and Other Consumables Used for Electric Generation	1,053,000,000	1,056,000,000
Purchased Electricity for Resale	260,000,000	275,000,000
Other Operation	656,000,000	686,000,000
Maintenance	262,000,000	265,000,000
Depreciation and Amortization	423,000,000	403,000,000
Taxes Other Than Income Taxes	217,000,000	213,000,000
TOTAL EXPENSES	2,871,000,000	2,898,000,000
OPERATING INCOME (LOSS)	754,000,000	832,000,000
Other Income (Expense):
Interest and Investment Income	2,000,000	2,000,000
Carrying Costs Income	20,000,000	15,000,000
Allowance for Equity Funds Used During Construction	23,000,000	20,000,000
Interest Expense	(229,000,000)	(242,000,000)
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAX EXPENSE (CREDIT) AND EQUITY EARNINGS (LOSS)	570,000,000	627,000,000
Income Tax Expense (Credit)	189,000,000	278,000,000
Equity Earnings (Loss) of Unconsolidated Subsidiaries	9,000,000	6,000,000
NET INCOME (LOSS)	390,000,000	355,000,000
Net Income Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests	1,000,000	1,000,000
NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO SHAREHOLDERS	389,000,000	354,000,000
Preferred Stock Dividend Requirements	0	1,000,000
EARNINGS ATTRIBUTABLE TO COMMON SHAREHOLDERS	389,000,000	353,000,000
Earnings Per Share
WEIGHTED AVERAGE NUMBER OF BASIC AEP COMMON SHARES OUTSTANDING	483,828,101	481,144,270
TOTAL BASIC EARNINGS PER SHARE ATTRIBUTABLE TO AEP COMMON SHAREHOLDERS	$ 0.80	$ 0.73
WEIGHTED AVERAGE NUMBER OF DILUTED AEP COMMON SHARES OUTSTANDING	484,248,868	481,365,806
Total Diluted Earnings Per Share Attributable to AEP Common Shareholders	$ 0.80	$ 0.73
CASH DIVIDENDS DECLARED PER SHARE	$ 0.47	$ 0.46
Appalachian Power Co [Member]
Revenues
Utility Operations	738,599,000	751,012,000
Sales to AEP Affiliates	64,301,000	78,691,000
Other Revenues	2,576,000	2,117,000
TOTAL REVENUES	805,476,000	831,820,000
Expenses
Fuel and Other Consumables Used for Electric Generation	186,884,000	180,581,000
Purchased Electricity for Resale	65,356,000	69,218,000
Purchased Electricity from AEP Affiliates	156,017,000	224,189,000
Other Operation	74,319,000	113,276,000
Maintenance	46,335,000	32,293,000
Depreciation and Amortization	80,413,000	69,099,000
Taxes Other Than Income Taxes	26,962,000	27,103,000
TOTAL EXPENSES	636,286,000	715,759,000
OPERATING INCOME (LOSS)	169,190,000	116,061,000
Other Income (Expense):
Interest Income	343,000	320,000
Carrying Costs Income	7,785,000	3,439,000
Allowance for Equity Funds Used During Construction	513,000	883,000
Interest Expense	(51,307,000)	(52,939,000)
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAX EXPENSE (CREDIT) AND EQUITY EARNINGS (LOSS)	126,524,000	67,764,000
Income Tax Expense (Credit)	51,213,000	28,784,000
NET INCOME (LOSS)	75,311,000	38,980,000
Preferred Stock Dividend Requirements	0	200,000
EARNINGS ATTRIBUTABLE TO COMMON SHAREHOLDERS	75,311,000	38,780,000
Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member]
Revenues
Utility Operations	436,027,000	456,862,000
Sales to AEP Affiliates	75,915,000	74,868,000
Other Revenues - Affiliated	30,711,000	24,331,000
Other Revenues	3,554,000	4,431,000
TOTAL REVENUES	546,207,000	560,492,000
Expenses
Fuel and Other Consumables Used for Electric Generation	112,370,000	115,062,000
Purchased Electricity for Resale	35,910,000	29,292,000
Purchased Electricity from AEP Affiliates	87,953,000	79,584,000
Other Operation	135,216,000	133,211,000
Maintenance	42,265,000	51,000,000
Depreciation and Amortization	33,979,000	34,087,000
Taxes Other Than Income Taxes	22,189,000	22,262,000
TOTAL EXPENSES	469,882,000	464,498,000
OPERATING INCOME (LOSS)	76,325,000	95,994,000
Other Income (Expense):
Interest Income	1,251,000	696,000
Allowance for Equity Funds Used During Construction	3,011,000	3,199,000
Interest Expense	(25,053,000)	(25,191,000)
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAX EXPENSE (CREDIT) AND EQUITY EARNINGS (LOSS)	55,534,000	74,698,000
Income Tax Expense (Credit)	16,313,000	29,271,000
NET INCOME (LOSS)	39,221,000	45,427,000
Preferred Stock Dividend Requirements	0	85,000
EARNINGS ATTRIBUTABLE TO COMMON SHAREHOLDERS	39,221,000	45,342,000
Ohio Power Co [Member]
Revenues
Utility Operations	1,040,831,000	1,130,177,000
Sales to AEP Affiliates	181,757,000	252,534,000
Other Revenues - Affiliated	9,111,000	7,018,000
Other Revenues	5,524,000	4,461,000
TOTAL REVENUES	1,237,223,000	1,394,190,000
Expenses
Fuel and Other Consumables Used for Electric Generation	369,993,000	407,396,000
Purchased Electricity for Resale	58,134,000	68,414,000
Purchased Electricity from AEP Affiliates	88,683,000	116,451,000
Other Operation	130,342,000	170,399,000
Maintenance	80,604,000	93,412,000
Depreciation and Amortization	134,430,000	133,412,000
Taxes Other Than Income Taxes	105,418,000	105,310,000
TOTAL EXPENSES	967,604,000	1,094,794,000
OPERATING INCOME (LOSS)	269,619,000	299,396,000
Other Income (Expense):
Interest Income	1,098,000	458,000
Carrying Costs Income	2,758,000	10,731,000
Allowance for Equity Funds Used During Construction	1,123,000	1,203,000
Interest Expense	(54,261,000)	(57,020,000)
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAX EXPENSE (CREDIT) AND EQUITY EARNINGS (LOSS)	220,337,000	254,768,000
Income Tax Expense (Credit)	69,507,000	88,798,000
NET INCOME (LOSS)	150,830,000	165,970,000
Preferred Stock Dividend Requirements	0	208,000
EARNINGS ATTRIBUTABLE TO COMMON SHAREHOLDERS	150,830,000	165,762,000
Public Service Co Of Oklahoma [Member]
Revenues
Utility Operations	292,522,000	284,587,000
Sales to AEP Affiliates	7,105,000	2,796,000
Other Revenues	904,000	620,000
TOTAL REVENUES	300,531,000	288,003,000
Expenses
Fuel and Other Consumables Used for Electric Generation	125,425,000	91,748,000
Purchased Electricity for Resale	25,442,000	41,179,000
Purchased Electricity from AEP Affiliates	6,198,000	16,611,000
Other Operation	46,979,000	44,404,000
Maintenance	28,325,000	20,721,000
Depreciation and Amortization	23,533,000	23,863,000
Taxes Other Than Income Taxes	11,139,000	10,596,000
TOTAL EXPENSES	267,041,000	249,122,000
OPERATING INCOME (LOSS)	33,490,000	38,881,000
Other Income (Expense):
Interest Income	935,000	52,000
Carrying Costs Income	613,000	647,000
Allowance for Equity Funds Used During Construction	422,000	366,000
Interest Expense	(14,711,000)	(15,938,000)
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAX EXPENSE (CREDIT) AND EQUITY EARNINGS (LOSS)	20,749,000	24,008,000
Income Tax Expense (Credit)	8,101,000	8,619,000
NET INCOME (LOSS)	12,648,000	15,389,000
Preferred Stock Dividend Requirements	0	49,000
EARNINGS ATTRIBUTABLE TO COMMON SHAREHOLDERS	12,648,000	15,340,000
Southwestern Electric Power Co [Member]
Revenues
Utility Operations	339,703,000	347,067,000
Sales to AEP Affiliates	8,957,000	15,579,000
Other Revenues	326,000	309,000
TOTAL REVENUES	348,986,000	362,955,000
Expenses
Fuel and Other Consumables Used for Electric Generation	128,234,000	134,012,000
Purchased Electricity for Resale	35,467,000	38,589,000
Purchased Electricity from AEP Affiliates	6,255,000	2,111,000
Other Operation	51,593,000	54,068,000
Maintenance	21,262,000	29,391,000
Depreciation and Amortization	34,021,000	33,290,000
Taxes Other Than Income Taxes	16,786,000	16,966,000
TOTAL EXPENSES	293,618,000	308,427,000
OPERATING INCOME (LOSS)	55,368,000	54,528,000
Other Income (Expense):
Allowance for Equity Funds Used During Construction	13,774,000	10,597,000
Other Income	14,894,000	10,540,000
Interest Expense	(22,002,000)	(22,425,000)
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAX EXPENSE (CREDIT) AND EQUITY EARNINGS (LOSS)	48,260,000	42,643,000
Income Tax Expense (Credit)	12,472,000	13,396,000
Equity Earnings (Loss) of Unconsolidated Subsidiaries	607,000	580,000
NET INCOME (LOSS)	36,395,000	29,827,000
Net Income Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests	1,083,000	1,082,000
NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO SHAREHOLDERS	35,312,000	28,745,000
Preferred Stock Dividend Requirements	0	57,000
EARNINGS ATTRIBUTABLE TO COMMON SHAREHOLDERS	$ 35,312,000	$ 28,688,000