Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities - Gains and Losses (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Interest Expense	$ 241	$ 239
Other Income (Expense) - net	52	(43)
Cash Flow Hedges [Member]
Amounts Included in Income, OCI or Regulatory Liabilities/Assets [Abstract]
Gain (Loss) Reclassified from AOCI into Income	(30)	(14)
Cash Flow Hedges [Member] \| Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]
Amounts Included in Income, OCI or Regulatory Liabilities/Assets [Abstract]
Derivative Gain (Loss) Recognized in OCI	(23)	(24)
Cash Flow Hedges [Member] \| Interest Rate Swaps [Member] \| Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]
Amounts Included in Income, OCI or Regulatory Liabilities/Assets [Abstract]
Derivative Gain (Loss) Recognized in OCI	0	0
Cash Flow Hedges [Member] \| Interest Rate Swaps [Member] \| Interest Expense [Member]
Amounts Included in Income, OCI or Regulatory Liabilities/Assets [Abstract]
Gain (Loss) Reclassified from AOCI into Income	(2)	(2)
Amount of gain (loss) reclassified from AOCI to income	(2)
Cash Flow Hedges [Member] \| Interest Rate Swaps [Member] \| Other Income (Expense) Net [Member]
Amounts Included in Income, OCI or Regulatory Liabilities/Assets [Abstract]
Amount of gain (loss) reclassified from AOCI to income	0
Cash Flow Hedges [Member] \| Cross Currency Swaps [Member] \| Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]
Amounts Included in Income, OCI or Regulatory Liabilities/Assets [Abstract]
Derivative Gain (Loss) Recognized in OCI	(23)	(24)
Cash Flow Hedges [Member] \| Cross Currency Swaps [Member] \| Interest Expense [Member]
Amounts Included in Income, OCI or Regulatory Liabilities/Assets [Abstract]
Amount of gain (loss) reclassified from AOCI to income	0
Hedged items	0
Cash Flow Hedges [Member] \| Cross Currency Swaps [Member] \| Other Income (Expense) Net [Member]
Amounts Included in Income, OCI or Regulatory Liabilities/Assets [Abstract]
Gain (Loss) Reclassified from AOCI into Income	(28)	(12)
Amount of gain (loss) reclassified from AOCI to income	(28)
Hedged items	28
Net Investment Hedges [Member] \| Foreign Currency Contracts [Member] \| Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]
Amounts Included in Income, OCI or Regulatory Liabilities/Assets [Abstract]
Derivative Gain (Loss) Recognized in OCI	0	(1)
Not Designated As Hedging Instruments [Member]
Amounts Included in Income, OCI or Regulatory Liabilities/Assets [Abstract]
Gain (loss) recognized in income on derivative	(34)	(113)
Not Designated As Hedging Instruments [Member] \| Interest Rate Swaps [Member] \| Regulatory Assets Noncurrent [Member]
Amounts Included in Income, OCI or Regulatory Liabilities/Assets [Abstract]
Gain (loss) recognized as regulatory liabilities/assets	(1)	4
Not Designated As Hedging Instruments [Member] \| Interest Rate Swaps [Member] \| Interest Expense [Member]
Amounts Included in Income, OCI or Regulatory Liabilities/Assets [Abstract]
Gain (loss) recognized in income on derivative	(1)	(1)
Not Designated As Hedging Instruments [Member] \| Foreign Currency Contracts [Member] \| Other Income (Expense) Net [Member]
Amounts Included in Income, OCI or Regulatory Liabilities/Assets [Abstract]
Gain (loss) recognized in income on derivative	(33)	(112)
LG And E And KU Energy LLC [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Interest Expense	54	50
Other Income (Expense) - net	0	(3)
LG And E And KU Energy LLC [Member] \| Not Designated As Hedging Instruments [Member] \| Interest Rate Swaps [Member] \| Regulatory Assets Noncurrent [Member]
Amounts Included in Income, OCI or Regulatory Liabilities/Assets [Abstract]
Gain (loss) recognized as regulatory liabilities/assets	(1)	4
LG And E And KU Energy LLC [Member] \| Not Designated As Hedging Instruments [Member] \| Interest Rate Swaps [Member] \| Interest Expense [Member]
Amounts Included in Income, OCI or Regulatory Liabilities/Assets [Abstract]
Gain (loss) recognized in income on derivative	(1)	(1)
Louisville Gas And Electric Co [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Interest Expense	21	18
Other Income (Expense) - net	0	(1)
Louisville Gas And Electric Co [Member] \| Not Designated As Hedging Instruments [Member] \| Interest Rate Swaps [Member] \| Regulatory Assets Noncurrent [Member]
Amounts Included in Income, OCI or Regulatory Liabilities/Assets [Abstract]
Gain (loss) recognized as regulatory liabilities/assets	(1)	4
Louisville Gas And Electric Co [Member] \| Not Designated As Hedging Instruments [Member] \| Interest Rate Swaps [Member] \| Interest Expense [Member]
Amounts Included in Income, OCI or Regulatory Liabilities/Assets [Abstract]
Gain (loss) recognized in income on derivative	(1)	(1)
Kentucky Utilities Co [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Interest Expense	26	25
Other Income (Expense) - net	$ 2	$ (3)

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