Derivative Instruments (Details Textuals) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012 counterparty agreements	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2012 agreements	Jun. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011
Derivative [Line Items]
Unamortized gains or losses associated with designated cash flow hedges	$ 15,000,000		$ 15,000,000		$ 19,000,000
Reclassifications from AOCL into other operating expense	1,000,000	(14,000,000)	(4,000,000)	(19,000,000)
Gain (loss) on cash flow hedge expected to be reclassified to earnings in next twelve months			9,000,000
Forward starting swap agreements outstanding	0		0
Unamortized gains or losses associated with prior interest rate hedges	74,000,000		74,000,000
Gains included in long-term debt associated with prior fixed-for-floating interest rate swap agreements	91,000,000		91,000,000
Net asset position under commodity derivative contracts	78,000,000		78,000,000
Expected adverse change in quoted market prices of derivative instruments	10.00%		10.00%
Decrease net income due to adverse change in commodity prices			2,000,000
Number of counterparties to interest rate derivatives executed in period	16
Notional amount of interest rate derivatives executed in period	1,600,000,000
Period In Which LSEs May Request Direct Allocation Of FTRs			2 years
JCP&L
Derivative [Line Items]
Number of LCAPP contracts	2		2
FES
Derivative [Line Items]
Collateral posted	34,000,000		34,000,000
Additional collateral related to commodity derivatives	12,000,000		12,000,000
Cash Flow Hedges
Derivative [Line Items]
Losses to be amortized to interest expenses during next twelve months			9,000,000
Reclassifications from accumulated other comprehensive loss	2,000,000	3,000,000	5,000,000	6,000,000
Fair Value Hedging
Derivative [Line Items]
Losses to be amortized to interest expenses during next twelve months			23,000,000
Number of Interest Rate Swap Agreements	0		0
Reclassifications from long-term debt	$ 6,000,000	$ 6,000,000	$ 11,000,000	$ 11,000,000
Interest rate swaps
Derivative [Line Items]
Average remaining maturity	10 years		10 years
Weighted average fixed interest rate	2.315%		2.315%