Name:	aep_AccountsReceivableAndAccruedUnbilledRevenuesTextBlock
Namespace Prefix:	aep_
Data Type:	nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Tabular disclosure of the average interest rates for funds borrowed from and loaned to a Utility Money Pool. The Utility Money Pool represents centralized funding mechanism AEP uses to meet the short-term cash requirements of certain utility subsidiaries.

No definition available.

Name:	aep_AverageInterestRatesForFundsBorrowedFromAndLoanedToUtilityMoneyPoolTextBlock
Namespace Prefix:	aep_
Data Type:	nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Comparative accounts receivable information.

No definition available.

Name:	aep_ComparativeAccountsReceivableInformationTextBlock
Namespace Prefix:	aep_
Data Type:	nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Customer accounts receivable managed portfolio.

No definition available.

Name:	aep_CustomerAccountsReceivableManagedPortfolioTextBlock
Namespace Prefix:	aep_
Data Type:	nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

[Table Text Block] for Tabular disclosure of the Direct borrowing participants; activity including: (1) Maximum borrowings from AEP; (2) Maximum Loans to AEP; (3) Average Borrowings from AEP; (4) Average Loans to AEP; (5) Borrowings from AEP as of the balance sheet date; (6) Loans to AEP as of the balance sheet date. Direct Borrowing represents centralized funding mechanism AEP uses to meet the short-term cash requirement of certain subsidiaries.

No definition available.

Name:	aep_DirectBorrowingActivityTableTextBlock
Namespace Prefix:	aep_
Data Type:	nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Fees paid to AEP Credit for customer accounts receivable sold.

No definition available.

Name:	aep_FeesPaidToAepCreditForCustomerAccountsReceivableSoldTextBlock
Namespace Prefix:	aep_
Data Type:	nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

This element may be used as a single block of text to encapsulate long-term debt and other securities issued during the period.

No definition available.

Name:	aep_LongTermDebtAndOtherSecuritiesIssuedTextBlock
Namespace Prefix:	aep_
Data Type:	nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Tabular disclosure of the maximum and minimum weighted-average interest rate, calculated on a daily basis, of funds either borrowed from or loaned to a Utility Money Pool during the period. The Utility Money Pool represents centralized funding mechanism AEP uses to meet the short-term cash requirements of certain utility subsidiaries.

No definition available.

Name:	aep_MaximumAndMinimumInterestRatesForFundsEitherBorrowedFromOrLoanedToUtilityMoneyPoolTextBlock
Namespace Prefix:	aep_
Data Type:	nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Tabular disclosure of the maximum and minimum weighted-average interest rate, calculated on a daily basis and the average interest rates of funds borrowed from or loaned to a Nonutility Money Pool during the period.The Nonutility Money Pool represents centralized funding mechanism AEP uses to meet the short-term cash requirements of certain nonutility subsidiaries.

No definition available.

Name:	aep_MaximumMinimumAverageInterestRatesForFundsBorrowedFromLoanedToNonutilityMoneyPoolTextBlock
Namespace Prefix:	aep_
Data Type:	nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

[Table Text Block] for Tabular disclosure of the maximum and minimum weighted-average interest rate, calculated on a daily basis and the average interest rates of funds borrowed from or loaned to AEP during the period. The Direct Borrowing represents centralized funding mechanism AEP uses to meet the short-term cash requirements of certain subsidiaries.

No definition available.

Name:	aep_MaximumMinimumandAverageInterestRatesforFundsBorrowedfromandLoanedtoAEPTableTextBlock
Namespace Prefix:	aep_
Data Type:	nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Tabular disclosure of a Nonutility Money Pool participants' money pool activity including: (1) Maximum Borrowings from Nonutility Money Pool; (2) Maximum Loans to Nonutility Money Pool; (3) Average Borrowings from Nonutility Money Pool; (4) Average Loans to Nonutility Money Pool; (5) Net Loans (Borrowings) to/from Nonutility Money Pool as of the balance sheet date. The Nonutility Money Pool represents centralized funding mechanism AEP uses to meet the short-term cash requirements of certain nonutility subsidiaries.

No definition available.

Name:	aep_NonutilityMoneyPoolActivityTableTextBlock
Namespace Prefix:	aep_
Data Type:	nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Proceeds on sale of receivables to AEP Credit.

No definition available.

Name:	aep_ProceedsOnSaleOfReceivablesToAepCreditTextBlock
Namespace Prefix:	aep_
Data Type:	nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Tabular disclosure of a Utility Money Pool participants' money pool activity and authorized borrowing limits including: (1) Maximum Borrowings from Utility Money Pool; (2) Maximum Loans to Utility Money Pool; (3) Average Borrowings from Utility Money Pool; (4) Average Loans to Utility Money Pool; (5) Net Loans (Borrowings) to/from Utility Money Pool as of the balance sheet date; (6) Authorized Short-term Borrowing Limit. The Utility Money Pool represents centralized funding mechanism AEP uses to meet the short-term cash requirements of certain utility subsidiaries.

No definition available.

Name:	aep_UtilityMoneyPoolParticipantsMoneyPoolActivityAndAuthorizedBorrowingLimitsTextBlock
Namespace Prefix:	aep_
Data Type:	nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Tabular disclosure of information pertaining to short-term and long-debt instruments or arrangements, including but not limited to identification of terms, features, collateral requirements and other information necessary to a fair presentation.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_ScheduleOfDebtTableTextBlock
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Tabular disclosure of debt extinguished which may include, amount of gain (loss), the income tax effect and the per share amount of the aggregate gain (loss), net of the related income tax.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 50
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7516071&loc=d3e13374-112631

Name:	us-gaap_ScheduleOfExtinguishmentOfDebtTextBlock
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Tabular disclosure of short-term debt arrangements (having initial terms of repayment within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer) including: (1) description of the short-term debt arrangement; (2) identification of the lender or type of lender; (3) repayment terms; (4) weighted average interest rate; (5) carrying amount of funds borrowed under the specified short-term debt arrangement as of the balance sheet date; (6) description of the refinancing of a short-term obligation when that obligation is excluded from current liabilities in the balance sheet; and (7) amount of a short-term obligation that has been excluded from current liabilities in the balance sheet because of a refinancing of the obligation.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682