Retirement Plans and Other Benefits (Details 3) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Pension Benefits
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	$ 2,264,121	$ 2,079,181	$ 1,850,550
Pension Benefits | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	2,264,121	2,079,181
Pension Benefits | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	490,559	807,879
Pension Benefits | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	1,764,652	1,268,946
Pension Benefits | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	8,660	2,419
Pension Benefits | Counterparty Netting and Other | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	250	(63)
Pension Benefits | Fixed income securities.
Retirement Plans and Other Benefits
Actual asset allocation (as a percent)	55.00%
Target asset allocation
Target allocation (as a percent)	58.00%
Target allocation, minimum (as a percent)	55.00%
Target allocation, maximum (as a percent)	61.00%
Pension Benefits | Return-generating assets
Retirement Plans and Other Benefits
Actual asset allocation (as a percent)	45.00%
Target asset allocation
Target allocation (as a percent)	42.00%
Target allocation, minimum (as a percent)	45.00%
Target allocation, maximum (as a percent)	39.00%
Pension Benefits | Cash and cash equivalent funds | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	504	579
Pension Benefits | Cash and cash equivalent funds | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	504	579
Pension Benefits | Corporate debt | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	898,621	607,749
Pension Benefits | Corporate debt | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	898,621	607,749
Pension Benefits | U.S. Treasury | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	231,590	232,161
Pension Benefits | U.S. Treasury | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	231,590	232,161
Pension Benefits | Other | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	84,011	67,992
Pension Benefits | Other | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	84,011	67,992
Pension Benefits | Developed equities
Target asset allocation
Target allocation (as a percent)	22.00%
Pension Benefits | Emerging equities
Target asset allocation
Target allocation (as a percent)	6.00%
Pension Benefits | Alternative investments
Target asset allocation
Target allocation (as a percent)	14.00%
Pension Benefits | U.S. Companies, Equities | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	239,036	531,291
Pension Benefits | U.S. Companies, Equities | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	239,036	531,291
Pension Benefits | International Companies, Equities | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	19,429	43,848
Pension Benefits | International Companies, Equities | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	19,429	43,848
Pension Benefits | U.S. Equities | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	116,150	176,694
Pension Benefits | U.S. Equities | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	116,150	176,694
Pension Benefits | International Equities | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	367,551	271,735
Pension Benefits | International Equities | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	367,551	271,735
Pension Benefits | FIXED INCOME | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	137,520
Pension Benefits | FIXED INCOME | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	137,520
Pension Benefits | Real estate | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	119,739	117,854
Pension Benefits | Real estate | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	119,739	117,854
Pension Benefits | Short-term investments and other | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	49,970	29,278
Pension Benefits | Short-term investments and other | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	41,060	26,922
Pension Benefits | Short-term investments and other | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	8,660	2,419
Pension Benefits | Short-term investments and other | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	8,660	2,419
Pension Benefits | Short-term investments and other | Counterparty Netting and Other | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	250	(63)
Other Benefits
Retirement Plans and Other Benefits
Actual asset allocation (as a percent)	62.00%
Target asset allocation
Target allocation (as a percent)	75.00%
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	748,339	684,221	608,663
Other Benefits | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	748,339	684,221
Other Benefits | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	371,777	333,146
Other Benefits | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	374,132	350,029
Other Benefits | Counterparty Netting and Other | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	2,430	1,046
Other Benefits | Fixed income securities.
Retirement Plans and Other Benefits
Actual asset allocation (as a percent)	38.00%
Target asset allocation
Target allocation (as a percent)	25.00%
Other Benefits | Cash and cash equivalent funds | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets		60
Other Benefits | Cash and cash equivalent funds | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets		60
Other Benefits | Corporate debt | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	153,888	163,306
Other Benefits | Corporate debt | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	153,888	163,306
Other Benefits | U.S. Treasury | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	98,704	112,558
Other Benefits | U.S. Treasury | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	98,704	112,558
Other Benefits | Other | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	27,936	33,998
Other Benefits | Other | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	27,936	33,998
Other Benefits | U.S. Companies, Equities | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	252,181	205,714
Other Benefits | U.S. Companies, Equities | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	252,181	205,714
Other Benefits | International Companies, Equities | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	20,892	14,412
Other Benefits | International Companies, Equities | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	20,892	14,412
Other Benefits | U.S. Equities | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	80,751	60,038
Other Benefits | U.S. Equities | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	80,751	60,038
Other Benefits | International Equities | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	92,382	76,969
Other Benefits | International Equities | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	92,382	76,969
Other Benefits | Real estate | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	10,761	9,378
Other Benefits | Real estate | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	10,761	9,378
Other Benefits | Short-term investments and other | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	10,844	7,788
Other Benefits | Short-term investments and other | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	8,414	6,340
Other Benefits | Short-term investments and other | Counterparty Netting and Other | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets	2,430	1,046
Other Benefits | Short-term investments | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Pinnacle West
Fair value of Pinnacle West's pension plan and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by asset category
Fair value of plan assets		$ 402