Document and Entity Information - shares	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017	Apr. 27, 2017
Entity Registrant Name	AMERICAN ELECTRIC POWER CO INC
Entity Central Index Key	0000004904
Document Type	10-Q
Document Period End Date	Mar. 31, 2017
Amendment Flag	false
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2017
Document Fiscal Period Focus	Q1
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Entity Filer Category	Large Accelerated Filer
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		491,712,071
Appalachian Power Co [Member]
Entity Registrant Name	APPALACHIAN POWER CO
Entity Central Index Key	0000006879
Entity Filer Category	Non-accelerated Filer
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		13,499,500
Indiana Michigan Power Co [Member]
Entity Registrant Name	INDIANA MICHIGAN POWER CO
Entity Central Index Key	0000050172
Entity Filer Category	Non-accelerated Filer
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		1,400,000
Ohio Power Co [Member]
Entity Registrant Name	OHIO POWER CO
Entity Central Index Key	0000073986
Entity Filer Category	Non-accelerated Filer
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		27,952,473
Public Service Co Of Oklahoma [Member]
Entity Registrant Name	PUBLIC SERVICE CO OF OKLAHOMA
Entity Central Index Key	0000081027
Entity Filer Category	Non-accelerated Filer
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		9,013,000
Southwestern Electric Power Co [Member]
Entity Registrant Name	SOUTHWESTERN ELECTRIC POWER CO
Entity Central Index Key	0000092487
Entity Filer Category	Non-accelerated Filer
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		7,536,640