Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Current Assets
Cash and Cash Equivalents	$ 195,000	$ 163,000
Other Temporary Investments	356,000	386,000
Fuel	424,000	587,000
Property, Plant and Equipment
Other Property, Plant and Equipment	4,718,000	5,770,000
Accumulated Depreciation and Amortization	19,589,000	20,188,000
Current Liabilities
Long-term Debt Due Within One Year	1,817,000	2,503,000
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term Debt	$ 17,761,000	$ 16,181,000
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	510,884,774	509,739,159
Treasury Stock, Shares	20,336,592	20,336,592
Appalachian Power Co [Member]
Current Assets
Cash and Cash Equivalents	$ 2,523	$ 2,613
Fuel	92,073	113,386
Property, Plant and Equipment
Other Property, Plant and Equipment	384,861	373,520
Accumulated Depreciation and Amortization	3,396,158	3,823,664
Current Liabilities
Long-term Debt Due Within One Year	252,410	552,212
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term Debt	$ 3,714,237	$ 3,342,062
Equity
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	$ 1,317	$ 1,020
Fuel	23,884	54,623
Property, Plant and Equipment
Other Property, Plant and Equipment	746,227	1,490,820
Accumulated Depreciation and Amortization	3,049,243	3,410,341
Current Liabilities
Long-term Debt Due Within One Year	312,370	382,187
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term Debt	$ 1,776,543	$ 1,645,210
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	$ 109,242	$ 85,657
Ohio Power Co [Member]
Current Assets
Cash and Cash Equivalents	3,439	2,870
Property, Plant and Equipment
Other Property, Plant and Equipment	434,887	390,848
Accumulated Depreciation and Amortization	2,070,583	2,038,120
Current Liabilities
Long-term Debt Due Within One Year	396,045	131,497
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term Debt	$ 1,793,114	$ 2,165,626
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
Ohio Power Co [Member] | Ohio Phase-In-Recovery Funding [Member]
Current Liabilities
Long-term Debt Due Within One Year	$ 45,973	$ 45,427
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term Debt	164,295	187,041
Public Service Co Of Oklahoma [Member]
Current Assets
Cash and Cash Equivalents	1,273	1,352
Fuel	14,584	16,436
Property, Plant and Equipment
Other Property, Plant and Equipment	432,397	421,568
Accumulated Depreciation and Amortization	1,363,314	1,319,554
Current Liabilities
Long-term Debt Due Within One Year	434	427
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term Debt	$ 1,290,561	$ 1,040,609
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	$ 8,017	$ 14,356
Fuel	105,171	116,955
Property, Plant and Equipment
Other Property, Plant and Equipment	891,788	878,753
Accumulated Depreciation and Amortization	2,579,758	2,503,290
Current Liabilities
Long-term Debt Due Within One Year	153,250	306,750
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term Debt	$ 2,282,228	$ 1,833,687
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
Cash and Cash Equivalents	$ 6,436	$ 12,695
Fuel	30,020	38,920
Property, Plant and Equipment
Other Property, Plant and Equipment	291,642	288,183
Accumulated Depreciation and Amortization	149,588	142,983
AEP Subsidiaries [Member]
Current Assets
Other Temporary Investments	344,000	371,000
Current Liabilities
Long-term Debt Due Within One Year	463,000	431,000
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term Debt	$ 2,114,000	$ 2,260,000