ASSETS HELD FOR SALE (Details) (USD $)	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011
NPC [Member] \| Telecommunication Towers [Member]
Long Lived Assets Held-for-sale [Line Items]
Number of towers sold	37
Cash proceeds from the sale	$ 32,000,000
SPPC [Member] \| Electric Distribution and Generation Assets [Member]
Long Lived Assets Held-for-sale [Line Items]
Cash proceeds from the sale	$ 132,000,000

Amounts received from the disposal of the long-lived asset during or after the reporting period.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 144

-Paragraph 33, 47

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 360

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 3

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6391110&loc=d3e2941-110230

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 205

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6360339&loc=d3e1361-107760

Name:	us-gaap_LongLivedAssetsHeldForSaleProceedsFromSale
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant