Financing Activities (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended			6 Months Ended						6 Months Ended				6 Months Ended				6 Months Ended							3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended				6 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended			6 Months Ended		1 Months Ended	6 Months Ended											3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended			1 Months Ended		6 Months Ended				1 Months Ended				6 Months Ended				3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended			6 Months Ended	3 Months Ended			6 Months Ended					6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013		Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013		Jun. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012		Jul. 26, 2013 Termination of Credit Facility [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Long-term Debt [Member]		Jun. 30, 2013 AEP Subsidiaries [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 AEP Subsidiaries [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 AEP Subsidiaries [Member] Notes Payable One [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 AEP Subsidiaries [Member] Notes Payable Two [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 AEP Generating Co [Member] Senior Unsecured Notes One [Member]	Jul. 26, 2013 Kentucky Power Co [Member] Assignment of Credit Facility [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 AEP Texas Central Co [Member] Securitization Bonds Three [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 AEP Texas Central Co [Member] Securitization Bonds Four [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 AEP Texas Central Co [Member] Securitization Bonds Five [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 AEP Texas Central Co [Member] Pollution Control Bonds One [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 AEP Texas North Co [Member] Senior Unsecured Notes One [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 AEP Texas North Co [Member] Senior Unsecured Notes Two [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 AEP Texas North Co [Member] Senior Unsecured Notes Three [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Appalachian Power Co [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Appalachian Power Co [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Appalachian Power Co [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Appalachian Power Co [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Appalachian Power Co [Member]	Jul. 26, 2013 Appalachian Power Co [Member] Assignment of Credit Facility [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Appalachian Power Co [Member] Land Note [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member] Notes Payable One [Member]		Jul. 26, 2013 Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member] Notes Payable One [Member] Repayment Of Debt [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member] Notes Payable Two [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member] Notes Payable Three [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member] Notes Payable Four [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member] Notes Payable Five [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member] Notes Payable Six [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member] Notes Payable Seven [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member] Pollution Control Bonds One [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member] Senior Unsecured Notes One [Member]		Jun. 30, 2013 Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member] Long-term Debt [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member] Long Term Debt Two [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Ohio Power Co [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Ohio Power Co [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Ohio Power Co [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Ohio Power Co [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Ohio Power Co [Member]	Jul. 26, 2013 Ohio Power Co [Member] Repayment Of Debt [Member]	Jul. 26, 2013 Ohio Power Co [Member] Issuance Of Debt [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Ohio Power Co [Member] Pollution Control Bonds One [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Ohio Power Co [Member] Pollution Control Bonds Two [Member]		Jun. 30, 2013 Ohio Power Co [Member] Pollution Control Bonds Three [Member]	Jul. 26, 2013 Ohio Power Co [Member] Pollution Control Bonds Four [Member]	Jul. 26, 2013 Ohio Power Co [Member] Pollution Control Bonds Four [Member] Repayment Of Debt [Member]	Jul. 26, 2013 Ohio Power Co [Member] Pollution Control Bonds Five [Member]	Jul. 26, 2013 Ohio Power Co [Member] Pollution Control Bonds Five [Member] Issuance Of Debt [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Ohio Power Co [Member] Senior Unsecured Notes One [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Ohio Power Co [Member] Senior Unsecured Notes Two [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Ohio Power Co [Member] Long-term Debt [Member]		Jun. 30, 2013 Public Service Co Of Oklahoma [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Public Service Co Of Oklahoma [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Public Service Co Of Oklahoma [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Public Service Co Of Oklahoma [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Public Service Co Of Oklahoma [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Public Service Co Of Oklahoma [Member] Notes Payable Two [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Southwestern Electric Power Co [Member]		Jun. 30, 2012 Southwestern Electric Power Co [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Southwestern Electric Power Co [Member]		Jun. 30, 2012 Southwestern Electric Power Co [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Southwestern Electric Power Co [Member]		Jun. 30, 2013 Southwestern Electric Power Co [Member] Notes Payable Two [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 AEP Transmission Company, LLC [Member] Senior Unsecured Notes One [Member]	Jul. 26, 2013 AEP Generating Co, Appalachian Power Co, Kentucky Power Co, Ohio Power Co Initiation of Credit Facility [Member]
Long-term Debt
Senior Unsecured Notes	$ 12,458,000,000			$ 12,458,000,000			$ 12,712,000,000
Pollution Control Bonds	1,982,000,000			1,982,000,000			1,958,000,000
Notes Payable	462,000,000			462,000,000			427,000,000
Securitization Bonds	2,150,000,000			2,150,000,000			2,281,000,000
Spent Nuclear Fuel Obligation	265,000,000	[1]		265,000,000	[1]		265,000,000	[1]
Other Long-term Debt	338,000,000			338,000,000			140,000,000
Fair Value of Interest Rate Hedges	(10,000,000)			(10,000,000)			3,000,000
Unamortized Discount, Net	(27,000,000)			(27,000,000)			(29,000,000)
Total Long-term Debt Outstanding	17,618,000,000			17,618,000,000			17,757,000,000																		3,702,759,000		3,702,759,000		3,702,442,000			2,305,192,000		2,305,192,000		2,057,666,000															3,504,794,000		3,504,794,000		3,860,440,000															949,841,000		949,841,000		949,871,000		2,044,780,000			2,044,780,000			2,046,228,000
Long-term Debt Due Within One Year	1,819,000,000			1,819,000,000			2,171,000,000					395,000,000	367,000,000												574,681,000		574,681,000		574,679,000			228,748,000		228,748,000		203,953,000															664,450,000		664,450,000		856,000,000															34,108,000		34,108,000		764,000		3,250,000			3,250,000			3,250,000
Long-term Debt	15,799,000,000			15,799,000,000			15,586,000,000					2,105,000,000	2,227,000,000												3,128,078,000		3,128,078,000		3,127,763,000			2,076,444,000		2,076,444,000		1,853,713,000															2,440,344,000		2,440,344,000		2,804,440,000															915,733,000		915,733,000		949,107,000		2,041,530,000			2,041,530,000			2,042,978,000
Long-term Debt and Other Securities Issued, Retired and Principal Payments Made
Issuances				946,000,000	[2]					200,000,000	[3]										120,000,000	125,000,000	75,000,000														101,354,000	[4]									250,000,000	[4]									200,000,000		50,000,000	[4]					65,000,000			200,000,000	[4],[5]																25,000,000
Retirements and Principal Payments				1,073,000,000		487,000,000								1,000,000	1,000,000	4,000,000		26,000,000	67,000,000	38,000,000				225,000,000			14,000	49,512,000			14,000			103,793,000	55,995,000				12,000,000	6,083,000	8,054,000	9,731,000	6,739,000	20,859,000	9,811,000	40,000,000			2,062,000	454,000			606,000,000	194,500,000		200,000,000		56,000,000			50,000,000		65,000,000			250,000,000	250,000,000					200,000	32,000		200,000				1,625,000		20,000,000			1,625,000
Interest Rate (Percentage)																6.33%		0.88%	4.98%	5.96%	4.00%	3.09%	4.48%	5.50%							13.718%									5.44%			2.12%		4.00%	5.25%	3.20%			6.00%								5.10%			5.15%	4.90%				5.50%	5.50%								3.00%									4.58%	4.83%
Interest Rate (Variable)										Variable				Variable																							Variable				Variable	Variable		Variable					Variable										Variable					variable				Variable
Due Date										2015				2017	2026	2037		2017	2013	2013	2030	2023	2043	2013							2026						2017			2013	2015	2016	2016	2016	2014	2025	2023		2015	2025								2013	2014		2026	2037		2014		2013	2013	2015							2027									2032	2043
Long- term Debt by Type of Debt and Maturity
Interest Rate (Minimum)															7.59%
Interest Rate (Maximum)															8.03%
Utility Money Pool Participants' Money Pool Activity and Authorized Borrowing Limits
Maximum Borrowings from Utility Money Pool																											217,174,000							23,135,000																			410,456,000																			46,806,000							15,386,000
Maximum Loans to Utility Money Pool																											23,871,000							355,659,000																			169,284,000																			25,343,000							153,830,000
Average Borrowings from Utility Money Pool																											100,093,000							8,308,000																			241,993,000																			20,136,000							4,473,000
Average Loans to Utility Money Pool																											23,478,000							198,197,000																			31,664,000																			11,603,000							49,757,000
Net Loans (Borrowings) to/from Utility Money Pool																									(64,480,000)		(64,480,000)					273,117,000		273,117,000																	(281,672,000)		(281,672,000)																	(25,276,000)		(25,276,000)				14,806,000			14,806,000
Authorized Short-term Borrowing Limit																											600,000,000							500,000,000																			600,000,000																			300,000,000							350,000,000
Nonutility Money Pool Particpants' Money Pool Activity
Maximum Borrowings from Nonutility Money Pool																																																					1,047,000
Maximum Loans to Nonutility Money Pool																																																					1,027,000
Average Borrowings from Nonutility Money Pool																																																					115,000
Average Loans to Nonutility Money Pool																																																					208,000
Borrowings from Nonutility Money Pool																																																			58,000		58,000
Maximum and Minimum Interest Rates
Maximum Interest Rate																											0.43%	0.56%						0.43%	0.56%																		0.43%	0.56%																		0.43%	0.56%						0.43%		0.56%
Minimum Interest Rate																											0.32%	0.45%						0.32%	0.45%																		0.32%	0.45%																		0.32%	0.45%						0.32%		0.45%
Average Interest Rates for Funds Borrowed from and Loaned to Utility Money Pool
Average Interest Rate for Funds Borrowed																											0.36%	0.49%						0.36%	0.00%																		0.35%	0.47%																		0.34%	0.00%						0.34%		0.53%
Average Interest Rate for Funds Loaned																											0.36%	0.49%						0.35%	0.49%																		0.37%	0.51%																		0.38%	0.48%						0.37%		0.48%
Maximum, Miminum, Average Interest Rates for Funds Borrowed from or Loaned to Nonutility Money Pool
Maximum Interest Rate for Funds Borrowed from Nonutility Money Pool																																																					0.61%
Minimum Interest Rate for Funds Borrowed from Nonutility Money Pool																																																					0.57%
Maximum Interest Rate for Funds Loaned to Nonutility Money Pool																																																					0.35%
Minimum Interest Rate for Funds Loaned to Nonutility Money Pool																																																					0.32%
Average Interest Rate for Funds Borrowed																																																					0.61%
Average Interest Rate for Funds Loaned																																																					0.34%
Short-term Debt:
Securitized Debt for Receivables	688,000,000	[6]		688,000,000	[6]		657,000,000	[6]
Commercial Paper	850,000,000			850,000,000			321,000,000
Line of Credit - Sabine	0	[7]		0	[7]		3,000,000	[7]																																																																				0			0			2,603,000
Total Short-term Debt	1,538,000,000			1,538,000,000			981,000,000
Securitized Debt for Receivables	0.23%	[8]		0.23%	[8]		0.26%	[8]
Commercial Paper	0.32%	[8]		0.32%	[8]		0.42%	[8]
Line of Credit - Sabine	0.00%	[8]		0.00%	[8]		1.82%	[8]																																																																				0.00%	[8]		0.00%	[8]		1.82%	[8]
Comparative Accounts Receivable Information
Effective Interest Rates on Securitization of Accounts Receivable	0.22%		0.26%	0.23%		0.26%
Net Uncollectible Accounts Receivable Written Off	7,000,000		6,000,000	14,000,000		14,000,000
Customer Accounts Receivable Managed Portfolio
Accounts Receivable Retained Interest and Pledged as Collateral Less Uncollectible Accounts	954,000,000			954,000,000			835,000,000
Total Principal Outstanding	688,000,000			688,000,000			657,000,000
Delinquent Securitized Accounts Receivable	45,000,000			45,000,000			37,000,000
Bad Debt Reserves Related to Securitization, Sale of Accounts Receivable	21,000,000			21,000,000			21,000,000
Unbilled Receivables Related to Securitization, Sale of Accounts Receivable	369,000,000			369,000,000			316,000,000
Accounts Receivable and Accrued Unbilled Revenues
Accounts Receivable and Accrued Unbilled Revenues																									146,352,000		146,352,000		153,719,000			139,932,000		139,932,000		123,447,000															339,389,000		339,389,000		300,675,000															127,497,000		127,497,000		85,530,000		166,278,000			166,278,000			132,449,000
Fees Paid to AEP Credit for Customer Accounts Receivable Sold
Fees Paid to AEP Credit for Customer Accounts Receivable Sold																									1,459,000	1,556,000	3,015,000	3,686,000				1,530,000	1,521,000	2,982,000	3,064,000																4,695,000	4,622,000	9,364,000	10,538,000																1,351,000	1,825,000	2,765,000	3,557,000			1,384,000		1,548,000	2,764,000		2,934,000
Proceeds from Sale of Receivables
Proceeds from Sale of Receivables to AEP Credit																									342,984,000	295,879,000	741,177,000	642,405,000				361,417,000	320,415,000	713,247,000	659,996,000																661,959,000	656,737,000	1,358,917,000	1,494,634,000																321,620,000	303,729,000	561,895,000	576,524,000			389,076,000		379,114,000	721,012,000		700,722,000
Financing Activities (Textuals) [Abstract]
Term Credit Facility	1,000,000,000			1,000,000,000					1,000,000,000																																																																													1,000,000,000
Term Credit Facility Maximum Borrowing																	250,000,000													500,000,000
Reacquired Pollution Controls Bonds Held by Trustees	504,000,000			504,000,000																												40,000,000		40,000,000																	464,000,000		464,000,000
Maximum Percentage Debt to Capitalization				67.50%																							67.50%							67.50%																			67.50%
Commitment from Bank Conduits that Expire in One Year	385,000,000			385,000,000
Commitment from Bank Conduits that Expire in Two Years	315,000,000			315,000,000
Total Commitment from Bank Conduits to Finance Receivables	700,000,000			700,000,000
Trust Fund Assets One Time Fee Obligation for Nuclear Fuel Disposition	$ 308,000,000			$ 308,000,000			$ 308,000,000

[1] Pursuant to the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982, I&M, a nuclear licensee, has an obligation to the United States Department of Energy for spent nuclear fuel disposal. The obligation includes a one-time fee for nuclear fuel consumed prior to April 7, 1983. Trust fund assets related to this obligation were $308 million and $308 million as of June 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively, and are included in Spent Nuclear Fuel and Decommissioning Trusts on our condensed balance sheets.

[2] Amount indicated on the statement of cash flows is net of issuance costs and premium or discount and will not tie to the total issuances.

[3] Draw on a $1 billion term credit facility due in May 2015.

[4] Amounts indicated on the statements of cash flows are net of issuance costs and premium or discount and will not tie to the issuance amounts.

[5] Intercompany issuance from AEP consisting of a draw on a $1 billion term credit facility due in May 2015.

[6] Amount of securitized debt for receivables as accounted for under the ''Transfers and Servicing'' accounting guidance.

[7] This line of credit does not reduce available liquidity under AEP's credit facilities.

[8] Weighted average rate.