Consolidated Statements of Income (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012
Revenues
Utility Operations	$ 3,489,000,000	$ 3,363,000,000
Other Revenues	337,000,000	262,000,000
TOTAL REVENUES	3,826,000,000	3,625,000,000
Expenses
Fuel and Other Consumables Used for Electric Generation	1,031,000,000	1,053,000,000
Purchased Electricity for Resale	371,000,000	260,000,000
Other Operation	738,000,000	656,000,000
Maintenance	293,000,000	262,000,000
Depreciation and Amortization	420,000,000	423,000,000
Taxes Other Than Income Taxes	218,000,000	217,000,000
TOTAL EXPENSES	3,071,000,000	2,871,000,000
OPERATING INCOME (LOSS)	755,000,000	754,000,000
Other Income (Expense):
Interest and Investment Income	3,000,000	2,000,000
Carrying Costs Income	4,000,000	20,000,000
Allowance for Equity Funds Used During Construction	15,000,000	23,000,000
Interest Expense	(232,000,000)	(229,000,000)
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAX EXPENSE (CREDIT) AND EQUITY EARNINGS (LOSS)	545,000,000	570,000,000
Income Tax Expense (Credit)	195,000,000	189,000,000
Equity Earnings (Loss) of Unconsolidated Subsidiaries	14,000,000	9,000,000
NET INCOME (LOSS)	364,000,000	390,000,000
Net Income Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests	1,000,000	1,000,000
EARNINGS ATTRIBUTABLE TO COMMON SHAREHOLDERS	363,000,000	389,000,000
Earnings Per Share
WEIGHTED AVERAGE NUMBER OF BASIC AEP COMMON SHARES OUTSTANDING	485,823,668	483,828,101
TOTAL BASIC EARNINGS PER SHARE ATTRIBUTABLE TO AEP COMMON SHAREHOLDERS	$ 0.75	$ 0.80
WEIGHTED AVERAGE NUMBER OF DILUTED AEP COMMON SHARES OUTSTANDING	486,344,036	484,248,868
TOTAL DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE ATTRIBUTABLE TO AEP COMMON SHAREHOLDERS	$ 0.75	$ 0.80
CASH DIVIDENDS DECLARED PER SHARE	$ 0.47	$ 0.47
Appalachian Power Co [Member]
Revenues
Utility Operations	872,732,000	738,599,000
Sales to AEP Affiliates	76,860,000	64,301,000
Other Revenues	1,902,000	2,576,000
TOTAL REVENUES	951,494,000	805,476,000
Expenses
Fuel and Other Consumables Used for Electric Generation	204,939,000	186,884,000
Purchased Electricity for Resale	65,456,000	65,356,000
Purchased Electricity from AEP Affiliates	222,942,000	156,017,000
Other Operation	78,908,000	74,319,000
Maintenance	99,386,000	46,335,000
Depreciation and Amortization	87,903,000	80,413,000
Taxes Other Than Income Taxes	27,400,000	26,962,000
TOTAL EXPENSES	786,934,000	636,286,000
OPERATING INCOME (LOSS)	164,560,000	169,190,000
Other Income (Expense):
Interest Income	331,000	343,000
Carrying Costs Income	103,000	7,785,000
Allowance for Equity Funds Used During Construction	770,000	513,000
Interest Expense	(48,204,000)	(51,307,000)
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAX EXPENSE (CREDIT) AND EQUITY EARNINGS (LOSS)	117,560,000	126,524,000
Income Tax Expense (Credit)	47,012,000	51,213,000
NET INCOME (LOSS)	70,548,000	75,311,000
Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member]
Revenues
Utility Operations	490,603,000	436,027,000
Sales to AEP Affiliates	54,977,000	75,915,000
Other Revenues - Affiliated	35,825,000	30,711,000
Other Revenues	1,988,000	3,554,000
TOTAL REVENUES	583,393,000	546,207,000
Expenses
Fuel and Other Consumables Used for Electric Generation	104,865,000	112,370,000
Purchased Electricity for Resale	41,812,000	35,910,000
Purchased Electricity from AEP Affiliates	101,376,000	87,953,000
Other Operation	145,238,000	135,216,000
Maintenance	45,514,000	42,265,000
Depreciation and Amortization	40,902,000	33,979,000
Taxes Other Than Income Taxes	22,456,000	22,189,000
TOTAL EXPENSES	502,163,000	469,882,000
OPERATING INCOME (LOSS)	81,230,000	76,325,000
Other Income (Expense):
Interest Income	2,055,000	1,251,000
Allowance for Equity Funds Used During Construction	5,646,000	3,011,000
Interest Expense	(24,211,000)	(25,053,000)
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAX EXPENSE (CREDIT) AND EQUITY EARNINGS (LOSS)	64,720,000	55,534,000
Income Tax Expense (Credit)	21,263,000	16,313,000
NET INCOME (LOSS)	43,457,000	39,221,000
Ohio Power Co [Member]
Revenues
Utility Operations	933,681,000	1,040,831,000
Sales to AEP Affiliates	285,642,000	181,757,000
Other Revenues - Affiliated	7,840,000	9,111,000
Other Revenues	6,627,000	5,524,000
TOTAL REVENUES	1,233,790,000	1,237,223,000
Expenses
Fuel and Other Consumables Used for Electric Generation	409,584,000	369,993,000
Purchased Electricity for Resale	43,185,000	58,134,000
Purchased Electricity from AEP Affiliates	80,381,000	88,683,000
Other Operation	184,187,000	130,342,000
Maintenance	74,295,000	80,604,000
Depreciation and Amortization	92,324,000	134,430,000
Taxes Other Than Income Taxes	105,021,000	105,418,000
TOTAL EXPENSES	988,977,000	967,604,000
OPERATING INCOME (LOSS)	244,813,000	269,619,000
Other Income (Expense):
Interest Income	363,000	1,098,000
Carrying Costs Income	3,263,000	2,758,000
Allowance for Equity Funds Used During Construction	1,304,000	1,123,000
Interest Expense	(50,173,000)	(54,261,000)
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAX EXPENSE (CREDIT) AND EQUITY EARNINGS (LOSS)	199,570,000	220,337,000
Income Tax Expense (Credit)	69,796,000	69,507,000
NET INCOME (LOSS)	129,774,000	150,830,000
Public Service Co Of Oklahoma [Member]
Revenues
Utility Operations	259,903,000	292,522,000
Sales to AEP Affiliates	1,834,000	7,105,000
Other Revenues	552,000	904,000
TOTAL REVENUES	262,289,000	300,531,000
Expenses
Fuel and Other Consumables Used for Electric Generation	43,310,000	125,425,000
Purchased Electricity for Resale	64,655,000	25,442,000
Purchased Electricity from AEP Affiliates	10,216,000	6,198,000
Other Operation	47,807,000	46,979,000
Maintenance	28,572,000	28,325,000
Depreciation and Amortization	24,180,000	23,533,000
Taxes Other Than Income Taxes	9,997,000	11,139,000
TOTAL EXPENSES	228,737,000	267,041,000
OPERATING INCOME (LOSS)	33,552,000	33,490,000
Other Income (Expense):
Interest Income	928,000	935,000
Carrying Costs Income	207,000	613,000
Allowance for Equity Funds Used During Construction	980,000	422,000
Interest Expense	(13,340,000)	(14,711,000)
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAX EXPENSE (CREDIT) AND EQUITY EARNINGS (LOSS)	22,327,000	20,749,000
Income Tax Expense (Credit)	8,634,000	8,101,000
NET INCOME (LOSS)	13,693,000	12,648,000
Southwestern Electric Power Co [Member]
Revenues
Utility Operations	381,277,000	339,703,000
Sales to AEP Affiliates	12,709,000	8,957,000
Other Revenues	331,000	326,000
TOTAL REVENUES	394,317,000	348,986,000
Expenses
Fuel and Other Consumables Used for Electric Generation	151,358,000	128,234,000
Purchased Electricity for Resale	39,760,000	35,467,000
Purchased Electricity from AEP Affiliates	1,017,000	6,255,000
Other Operation	59,448,000	51,593,000
Maintenance	27,791,000	21,262,000
Depreciation and Amortization	44,882,000	34,021,000
Taxes Other Than Income Taxes	19,422,000	16,786,000
TOTAL EXPENSES	343,678,000	293,618,000
OPERATING INCOME (LOSS)	50,639,000	55,368,000
Other Income (Expense):
Interest Income	30,000	1,120,000
Allowance for Equity Funds Used During Construction	1,024,000	13,774,000
Interest Expense	(33,990,000)	(22,002,000)
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAX EXPENSE (CREDIT) AND EQUITY EARNINGS (LOSS)	17,703,000	48,260,000
Income Tax Expense (Credit)	6,796,000	12,472,000
Equity Earnings (Loss) of Unconsolidated Subsidiaries	641,000	607,000
NET INCOME (LOSS)	11,548,000	36,395,000
Net Income Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests	1,090,000	1,083,000
EARNINGS ATTRIBUTABLE TO COMMON SHAREHOLDERS	$ 10,458,000	$ 35,312,000