Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) (USD $)	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Current Assets
Cash and Cash Equivalents	$ 443,000,000	$ 221,000,000
Other Temporary Investments	278,000,000	294,000,000
Fuel	800,000,000	657,000,000
Property, Plant and Equipment
Other Property, Plant and Equipment	3,943,000,000	3,780,000,000
Accumulated Depreciation and Amortization	19,326,000,000	18,699,000,000
Current Liabilities
Long-term Debt Due Within One Year	2,272,000,000	1,433,000,000
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term Debt	14,955,000,000	15,083,000,000
Equity
Common Stock, Par Value Per Share	$ 6.50	$ 6.50
Common Stock, Shares Authorized	600,000,000	600,000,000
Common Stock, Shares, Issued	505,552,303	503,759,460
Treasury Stock, Shares	20,336,592	20,336,592
Appalachian Power Co [Member]
Current Assets
Cash and Cash Equivalents	1,575,000	2,317,000
Fuel	187,181,000	143,931,000
Property, Plant and Equipment
Other Property, Plant and Equipment	381,235,000	357,326,000
Accumulated Depreciation and Amortization	3,162,532,000	2,994,016,000
Current Liabilities
Long-term Debt Due Within One Year	574,678,000	594,525,000
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term Debt	3,127,605,000	3,131,726,000
Equity
Common Stock, No Par Value
Common Stock, Shares Authorized	30,000,000	30,000,000
Common Stock, Shares Outstanding	13,499,500	13,499,500
Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member]
Current Assets
Cash and Cash Equivalents	767,000	1,020,000
Fuel	53,587,000	52,979,000
Property, Plant and Equipment
Other Property, Plant and Equipment	683,879,000	709,558,000
Accumulated Depreciation and Amortization	3,224,298,000	3,179,920,000
Current Liabilities
Long-term Debt Due Within One Year	304,694,000	279,075,000
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term Debt	1,804,936,000	1,778,600,000
Equity
Common Stock, No Par Value
Common Stock, Shares Authorized	2,500,000	2,500,000
Common Stock, Shares Outstanding	1,400,000	1,400,000
Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member] | DCC Fuel [Member]
Current Liabilities
Long-term Debt Due Within One Year	126,570,000	101,620,000
Ohio Power Co [Member]
Current Assets
Cash and Cash Equivalents	1,930,000	2,095,000
Fuel	325,330,000	262,886,000
Property, Plant and Equipment
Other Property, Plant and Equipment	585,349,000	546,642,000
Accumulated Depreciation and Amortization	5,894,263,000	5,742,561,000
Current Liabilities
Long-term Debt Due Within One Year	856,000,000	244,500,000
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term Debt	2,804,242,000	3,609,648,000
Equity
Common Stock, No Par Value
Common Stock, Shares Authorized	40,000,000	40,000,000
Common Stock, Shares Outstanding	27,952,473	27,952,473
Public Service Co Of Oklahoma [Member]
Current Assets
Cash and Cash Equivalents	1,022,000	1,413,000
Fuel	21,820,000	20,854,000
Property, Plant and Equipment
Other Property, Plant and Equipment	228,234,000	214,626,000
Accumulated Depreciation and Amortization	1,290,823,000	1,266,816,000
Current Liabilities
Long-term Debt Due Within One Year	761,000	311,000
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term Debt	949,123,000	947,053,000
Equity
Common Stock, Par Value Per Share	$ 15	$ 15
Common Stock, Shares Authorized	11,000,000	11,000,000
Common Stock, Shares, Issued	10,482,000	10,482,000
Common Stock, Shares Outstanding	9,013,000	9,013,000
Southwestern Electric Power Co [Member]
Current Assets
Cash and Cash Equivalents	16,626,000	801,000
Fuel	112,278,000	102,015,000
Property, Plant and Equipment
Other Property, Plant and Equipment	675,694,000	637,019,000
Accumulated Depreciation and Amortization	2,282,762,000	2,211,912,000
Current Liabilities
Long-term Debt Due Within One Year	3,250,000	20,000,000
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term Debt	2,042,889,000	1,708,637,000
Equity
Common Stock, Par Value Per Share	$ 18	$ 18
Common Stock, Shares Authorized	7,600,000	7,600,000
Common Stock, Shares Outstanding	7,536,640	7,536,640
Southwestern Electric Power Co [Member] | Sabine Mining Co [Member]
Current Assets
Cash and Cash Equivalents	14,926,000
Fuel	24,229,000	32,651,000
Property, Plant and Equipment
Other Property, Plant and Equipment	256,492,000	232,948,000
Accumulated Depreciation and Amortization	112,275,000	103,586,000
AEP Subsidiaries [Member]
Current Assets
Other Temporary Investments	265,000,000	281,000,000
Current Liabilities
Long-term Debt Due Within One Year	375,000,000	293,000,000
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term Debt	$ 2,295,000,000	$ 1,674,000,000