Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Current Assets
Cash and Cash Equivalents	$ 179,000,000	$ 279,000,000
Other Temporary Investments	261,000,000	324,000,000
Fuel	839,000,000	844,000,000
Property, Plant and Equipment
Other Property, Plant and Equipment	3,986,000,000	3,945,000,000
Accumulated Depreciation and Amortization	18,945,000,000	18,691,000,000
Current Liabilities
Long-term Debt Due Within One Year	1,674,000,000	2,171,000,000
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term Debt	15,899,000,000	15,586,000,000
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	506,356,262	506,004,962
Treasury Stock, Shares	20,336,592	20,336,592
Appalachian Power Co [Member]
Current Assets
Cash and Cash Equivalents	1,256,000	3,576,000
Fuel	192,283,000	185,813,000
Property, Plant and Equipment
Other Property, Plant and Equipment	377,305,000	373,327,000
Accumulated Depreciation and Amortization	3,246,522,000	3,196,639,000
Current Liabilities
Long-term Debt Due Within One Year	574,679,000	574,679,000
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term Debt	3,127,920,000	3,127,763,000
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	572,000	1,562,000
Fuel	61,935,000	53,406,000
Property, Plant and Equipment
Other Property, Plant and Equipment	715,495,000	725,313,000
Accumulated Depreciation and Amortization	3,244,675,000	3,232,135,000
Current Liabilities
Long-term Debt Due Within One Year	197,066,000	203,953,000
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term Debt	2,085,514,000	1,853,713,000
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	110,888,000	119,890,000
Ohio Power Co [Member]
Current Assets
Cash and Cash Equivalents	1,027,000	3,640,000
Fuel	329,858,000	328,840,000
Property, Plant and Equipment
Other Property, Plant and Equipment	585,825,000	571,154,000
Accumulated Depreciation and Amortization	5,311,018,000	5,242,805,000
Current Liabilities
Long-term Debt Due Within One Year	581,000,000	856,000,000
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term Debt	2,579,628,000	2,804,440,000
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	474,000	1,367,000
Fuel	21,597,000	22,085,000
Property, Plant and Equipment
Other Property, Plant and Equipment	212,771,000	210,549,000
Accumulated Depreciation and Amortization	1,292,967,000	1,278,941,000
Current Liabilities
Long-term Debt Due Within One Year	405,000	764,000
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term Debt	949,451,000	949,107,000
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	7,143,000	2,036,000
Fuel	128,901,000	134,234,000
Property, Plant and Equipment
Other Property, Plant and Equipment	693,621,000	688,254,000
Accumulated Depreciation and Amortization	2,317,046,000	2,284,258,000
Current Liabilities
Long-term Debt Due Within One Year	3,250,000	3,250,000
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term Debt	2,041,442,000	2,042,978,000
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
Fuel	39,234,000	42,084,000
Property, Plant and Equipment
Other Property, Plant and Equipment	288,616,000	287,032,000
Accumulated Depreciation and Amortization	121,360,000	116,597,000
AEP Subsidiaries [Member]
Current Assets
Other Temporary Investments	247,000,000	311,000,000
Current Liabilities
Long-term Debt Due Within One Year	365,000,000	367,000,000
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term Debt	$ 2,098,000,000	$ 2,227,000,000