Commitments and Contingencies - Legal Matters and Regulatory Issues (Details) $ in Millions		9 Months Ended
Oct. 29, 2018 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2018 claim resident coal-fired_unit mi
Subsequent Event [Member]
Claim By Former Affiliate [Abstract]
Percent of ownership of Talen Energy by Riverstone	35.00%
Amount of alleged improper distribution \| $	$ 733
LGE [Member]
Legal Matters - Cane Run Environmental Claims (Numeric) [Abstract]
Number of residents that filed class action suit \| resident		6
Number of miles within plant that would include a class of residents		4
Number of remaining unresolved Clean Air Act violation claims after July 2014 court ruling \| claim		1
Generating units retired at the Cane Run plant \| coal-fired_unit		3
LGE [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Legal Matters - Cane Run Environmental Claims (Numeric) [Abstract]
Number of miles within plant that would include a class of residents		1
LGE [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Legal Matters - Cane Run Environmental Claims (Numeric) [Abstract]
Number of miles within plant that would include a class of residents		3
LG And E And KU Energy LLC [Member] \| LGE [Member]
Legal Matters - Cane Run Environmental Claims (Numeric) [Abstract]
Number of residents that filed class action suit \| resident		6
Number of miles within plant that would include a class of residents		4
Number of remaining unresolved Clean Air Act violation claims after July 2014 court ruling \| claim		1
Generating units retired at the Cane Run plant \| coal-fired_unit		3
LG And E And KU Energy LLC [Member] \| LGE [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Legal Matters - Cane Run Environmental Claims (Numeric) [Abstract]
Number of miles within plant that would include a class of residents		1
LG And E And KU Energy LLC [Member] \| LGE [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Legal Matters - Cane Run Environmental Claims (Numeric) [Abstract]
Number of miles within plant that would include a class of residents		3
Louisville Gas And Electric Co [Member]
Legal Matters - Cane Run Environmental Claims (Numeric) [Abstract]
Number of residents that filed class action suit \| resident		6
Number of miles within plant that would include a class of residents		4
Number of remaining unresolved Clean Air Act violation claims after July 2014 court ruling \| claim		1
Generating units retired at the Cane Run plant \| coal-fired_unit		3
Louisville Gas And Electric Co [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Legal Matters - Cane Run Environmental Claims (Numeric) [Abstract]
Number of miles within plant that would include a class of residents		1
Louisville Gas And Electric Co [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Legal Matters - Cane Run Environmental Claims (Numeric) [Abstract]
Number of miles within plant that would include a class of residents		3

- Definition

The amount of the alleged improper distribution of the proceeds from the November 2014 sale of Talen Montana's (then PPL Montana's) hydroelectric generating facilities to PPL's subsidiaries.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ppl_AmountOfAllegedImproperDistribution
Namespace Prefix:	ppl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The number of miles surrounding the plant that a class of plaintiffs could include in a class action suit.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ppl_CanRunPlantClassOfResidentsMilesWithinPlant
Namespace Prefix:	ppl_
Data Type:	num:lengthItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of plaintiffs that have filed claims pertaining to a loss contingency at the Can Run plant.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ppl_CaneRunPlantNumberOfPlaintiffsFiledSuit
Namespace Prefix:	ppl_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The number of Clean Air Act violation claims that remains unresolved after a July 2014 court ruling.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ppl_CaneRunPlantNumberOfUnresolvedCleanAirActViolations
Namespace Prefix:	ppl_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Claim By Former Affiliate [Abstract]

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ppl_ClaimByFormerAffiliateAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	ppl_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The number of coal-fired generating units retired at the Cane Run plant.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ppl_GeneratingUnitsRetiredPlantOne
Namespace Prefix:	ppl_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ppl_LegalMattersCaneRunEnvironmentalClaimsNumericAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	ppl_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Initial ownership percentage in new company, Talen Energy, by Riverstone Holdings, LLC upon completion of spinoff transaction.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ppl_RestructuringAndRelatedActivitiesOwnershipPercentageByRiverstone
Namespace Prefix:	ppl_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis=us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	ppl_ByCompanyAxis=ppl_LouisvilleGasAndElectricCompanyMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=ppl_LGAndEAndKUEnergyLLCMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=ppl_LouisvilleGasAndElectricCoMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: