Palo Verde Sale Leaseback Variable Interest Entities (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012 item
Palo Verde Sale Leaseback Variable Interest Entities
Increase in net income due to consolidation of Palo Verde Sale Leaseback Trusts	$ 8,555,000	$ 8,040,000	$ 25,338,000	$ 23,582,000
Amounts relating to the VIEs included in Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
Palo Verde sale leaseback property plant and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	126,092,000		126,092,000		128,995,000
Current maturities of long-term debt	566,481,000		566,481,000		122,828,000
Palo Verde sale leaseback lessor notes long-term debt excluding current maturities	37,414,000		37,414,000		38,869,000
Equity-Noncontrolling interests	145,624,000		145,624,000		129,483,000
ARIZONA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY
Palo Verde Sale Leaseback Variable Interest Entities
Number of VIE lessor trusts	3		3
Annual lease payments			49,000,000
Increase in net income due to consolidation of Palo Verde Sale Leaseback Trusts	8,555,000	8,040,000	25,338,000	23,573,000
Amounts relating to the VIEs included in Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
Palo Verde sale leaseback property plant and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	126,092,000		126,092,000		128,995,000
Current maturities of long-term debt	566,481,000		566,481,000		122,828,000
Palo Verde sale leaseback lessor notes long-term debt excluding current maturities	37,414,000		37,414,000		38,869,000
Equity-Noncontrolling interests	145,624,000		145,624,000		129,483,000
ARIZONA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY | Consolidation of VIEs
Palo Verde Sale Leaseback Variable Interest Entities
Annual lease payment if lease is extended					23,000,000
Number of options					2
Increase in net income due to consolidation of Palo Verde Sale Leaseback Trusts	9,000,000	8,000,000	25,000,000	24,000,000
Amounts relating to the VIEs included in Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
Palo Verde sale leaseback property plant and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	126,000,000		126,000,000		129,000,000
Current maturities of long-term debt	20,000,000		20,000,000		27,000,000
Palo Verde sale leaseback lessor notes long-term debt excluding current maturities	37,000,000		37,000,000		39,000,000
Equity-Noncontrolling interests	146,000,000		146,000,000		129,000,000
Maximum payment to the VIEs' noncontrolling equity participants upon the occurrence of certain unlikely events			142,000,000
VIE debt to be assumed upon the occurrence of certain unlikely events			$ 57,000,000