Commitments and Contingencies - Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station and Contractual Obligations (Details)			9 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Aug. 18, 2014 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($) time_period power_plant claim	Dec. 31, 1986 Trust
Breach of Contract for Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel and/or High Level Radioactive Waste
Commitments and Contingencies
Litigation settlement amount		$ 57,400,000
Proceeds from legal settlements			$ 53,900,000
Arizona Public Service Company
Commitments and Contingencies
Maximum insurance against public liability per occurrence for a nuclear incident (up to)			13,400,000,000
Maximum available nuclear liability insurance (up to)			375,000,000
Remaining nuclear liability insurance through mandatory industry wide retrospective assessment program			13,000,000,000
Maximum retrospective premium assessment per reactor for each nuclear liability incident			127,300,000
Annual limit per incident with respect to maximum retrospective premium assessment			$ 18,900,000
Number of VIE lessor trusts			3	3
Maximum potential retrospective assessment per incident of APS			$ 111,100,000
Annual payment limitation with respect to maximum potential retrospective premium assessment			16,600,000
Amount of "all risk" (including nuclear hazards) insurance for property damage to, and decontamination of, property at Palo Verde			2,800,000,000
Maximum amount that APS could incur under the current NEIL policies for each retrospective assessment			23,800,000
Collateral assurance provided based on rating triggers			$ 64,000,000
Period to provide collateral assurance based on rating triggers			20 days
Arizona Public Service Company | Breach of Contract for Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel and/or High Level Radioactive Waste
Commitments and Contingencies
Litigation settlement amount		$ 16,700,000
Number of claims submitted | claim			2
Number of settlement agreement time periods | time_period			2
Proceeds from legal settlements			$ 15,700,000
Subsequent Event | Breach of Contract for Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel and/or High Level Radioactive Waste
Commitments and Contingencies
Litigation settlement amount	$ 11,300,000
Subsequent Event | Arizona Public Service Company | Breach of Contract for Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel and/or High Level Radioactive Waste
Commitments and Contingencies
Litigation settlement amount	$ 3,300,000