Operating Segments (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended										12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Costs and epenses											$ (11,937,000,000)	$ (11,251,000,000)	[1]	$ (11,543,000,000)	[1]
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax											(22,000,000)	(25,000,000)	[1]	(258,000,000)	[1]
Discontinued operation tax expense											27,000,000	9,000,000		34,000,000
Asset impairment, net of tax						139,000,000
Operating loss from operations of Kewaunee	892,000,000	(518,000,000)	(617,000,000)	(913,000,000)	[2]	(340,000,000)	(828,000,000)	(733,000,000)	(993,000,000)	[2]	(1,156,000,000)	(2,894,000,000)	[1]	(5,851,000,000)	[1]
Gain (adjustment to gain) on sale of E&P operations											0	0	[1]	2,467,000,000	[1]
Charge for severence pay and other benefits												331,000,000
Charge for severance pay and other benefits, net of tax												202,000,000
DVP
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Restoration costs											87,000,000	96,000,000
Restoration costs net of tax											53,000,000	59,000,000
Charge for severance pay and other benefits, net of tax												67,000,000
Dominion Generation
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Asset impairment											228,000,000
Asset impairment, net of tax											139,000,000
Operating loss from operations of Kewaunee											66,000,000
Operating loss from operations of Kewaunee, net of tax											39,000,000
Impairment of emission allowances											57,000,000
Impairment of emission allowances net of tax											34,000,000
Charge for severance pay and other benefits, net of tax												111,000,000
Peoples
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Loss from discontinued operation												134,000,000
Loss on discontinued operation, net of tax												155,000,000
Dominion Energy
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Charge for severance pay and other benefits, net of tax												24,000,000
Corporate and Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Costs and epenses											(1,400,000,000)	(311,000,000)		865,000,000
Net expenses attributable to operating segments											1,400,000,000	340,000,000		1,000,000,000
Kewaunee | Dominion Generation
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Loss from discontinued operations											467,000,000
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax											303,000,000
State Line and Salem Harbor | Dominion Generation
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Loss from discontinued operations											49,000,000	34,000,000		158,000,000
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax											22,000,000	25,000,000		103,000,000
Appalachian E & P
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Gain (adjustment to gain) on sale of E&P operations												2,500,000,000
Gain (adjustment to gain) on sale of operations, net of tax												1,400,000,000
Virginia Electric and Power Company
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Costs and epenses											(5,234,000,000)	(5,641,000,000)		(5,578,000,000)
Restoration costs											87,000,000	96,000,000
Restoration costs net of tax			42,000,000								53,000,000	59,000,000
Asset impairment												228,000,000
Asset impairment, net of tax						139,000,000						139,000,000
Operating loss from operations of Kewaunee	(417,000,000)	(746,000,000)	(361,000,000)	(468,000,000)		(55,000,000)	(568,000,000)	(471,000,000)	(511,000,000)		(1,992,000,000)	(1,605,000,000)		(1,641,000,000)
Charge for severance pay and other benefits, net of tax														123,000,000
Virginia Electric and Power Company | DVP
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Charge for severance pay and other benefits, net of tax														63,000,000
Virginia Electric and Power Company | Dominion Generation
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Impairment charges related to State Line												43,000,000
Impairment charges, after tax												26,000,000
Charge for severance pay and other benefits, net of tax														60,000,000
Virginia Electric and Power Company | Corporate and Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Costs and epenses											(51,000,000)	(268,000,000)		(153,000,000)
Charge for severence pay and other benefits														202,000,000
Brayton Point Kincaid And Elwood Power Stations | Dominion Generation
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Loss from discontinued operations											1,700,000,000
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax											$ 1,100,000,000

[1] Recast to reflect Salem Harbor and State Line as discontinued operations as described in Note 3 to the Consolidated Financial Statements. EPS amounts reflect the per share impact of the recast.

[2] Revenue and income amounts have been recast to reflect Salem Harbor and State Line as discontinued operations, as discussed in Note 3.