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Restricted Cash and Investments - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
12 Months Ended 0 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Nov. 30, 2010
Dec. 31, 2014
Restricted Cash and Investments [Line Items]        
Qualified expenditure for construction of facility $ 275,300,000nue_PaymentsOfRestrictedCashForQualifiedExpenditure $ 311,800,000nue_PaymentsOfRestrictedCashForQualifiedExpenditure    
Restricted cash or investment 0us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndInvestmentsNoncurrent     0us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndInvestmentsNoncurrent
30-Year Variable Rate Gulf Opportunity Zone Bonds [Member]        
Restricted Cash and Investments [Line Items]        
Debt instrument face amount     $ 600,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= nue_ThirtyYearVariableRateGulfOpportunityZoneBondsMember
 
Term of variable rate bonds, years     30 years