Income Taxes (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended				12 Months Ended	0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2013 Maximum	Dec. 31, 2013 Palo Verde VIE	Sep. 13, 2013 ARIZONA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY	Dec. 31, 2013 ARIZONA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY	Dec. 31, 2013 ARIZONA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY	Dec. 31, 2012 ARIZONA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY	Dec. 31, 2011 ARIZONA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY	Sep. 30, 2013 ARIZONA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY	Sep. 30, 2009 ARIZONA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY	Dec. 31, 2013 ARIZONA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY Maximum
Income Taxes
Long-term income tax receivables			$ 70,389,000							$ 70,784,000			$ 71,000,000
Decrease in uncertain tax positions	67,000,000											67,000,000
Income tax receivable that will be reclassified from long term to short-term		137,000,000							138,000,000
Anticipated refund reduction amount		(4,000,000)						(4,000,000)	(4,000,000)
Decrease in long term deferred tax liability due to adoption of regulations	(84,000,000)						(84,000,000)
Decrease in long term deferred tax liability due to rate changes		(75,000,000)						(2,000,000)	(2,000,000)
Period over which deferred income tax liability would have been repaid		20 years					20 years
Income tax expense associates with the VIE's						0
Tabular reconciliation of the total amounts of unrecognized tax benefits, excluding interest and penalties, at the beginning and end of the year
Total unrecognized tax benefits at the beginning of the year		133,422,000	136,005,000	127,595,000					133,241,000	135,824,000	126,698,000
Additions for tax positions of the current year		3,516,000	5,167,000	10,915,000					3,516,000	5,167,000	10,915,000
Additions for tax positions of prior years		13,158,000							13,158,000
Reductions for tax positions of prior years for:
Changes in judgment		(108,099,000)	(7,729,000)	(1,555,000)					(107,918,000)	(7,729,000)	(1,555,000)
Settlements with taxing authorities				(124,000)							(124,000)
Lapses of applicable statute of limitations			(21,000)	(826,000)						(21,000)	(110,000,000)
Total unrecognized tax benefits at the end of the year		41,997,000	133,422,000	136,005,000				41,997,000	41,997,000	133,241,000	135,824,000
Unrecognized tax benefits if recognized, would decrease effective tax rate		10,000,000	10,000,000	8,000,000				10,000,000	10,000,000	10,000,000	8,000,000
Pre-tax interest expense (benefit) related to unrecognized tax benefits		4,000,000	4,000,000	3,000,000					4,000,000	4,000,000	3,000,000
Accrued liabilities for interest related to unrecognized tax benefits			13,000,000	9,000,000	1,000,000					13,000,000	9,000,000			1,000,000
Interest income to be received on the overpayment of income taxes for certain adjustments that we have filed, or will file, with the IRS		$ 5,000,000						$ 5,000,000	$ 5,000,000