EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011
Components of Net Periodic Benefit Cost
Pension Costs Related to Retail Electric Operations and Natural Gas Operations Deferred as Regulatory Assets	$ 4,000,000	$ 2,200,000	$ 11,400,000	$ 6,800,000
Pension Benefits
Components of Net Periodic Benefit Cost
Service cost	5,000,000	4,500,000	14,700,000	13,700,000
Interest cost	10,900,000	10,400,000	32,200,000	32,600,000
Expected return on assets	(15,000,000)	(15,300,000)	(44,600,000)	(47,700,000)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Amortization, Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Net Prior Service Cost (Credit) Recognized in Net Periodic Benefit Cost, before Tax	1,800,000	1,700,000	5,300,000	5,300,000
Defined Benefit Plan, Amortization of Transition Obligations (Assets)	0	0	0	0
Defined Benefit Plan, Actuarial Net (Gains) Losses	4,500,000	3,100,000	13,800,000	9,100,000
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost	7,200,000	4,400,000	21,400,000	13,000,000
Other Postretirement Benefits
Components of Net Periodic Benefit Cost
Service cost	1,100,000	1,000,000	3,600,000	3,200,000
Interest cost	2,900,000	3,200,000	8,900,000	9,200,000
Expected return on assets	0	0	0	0
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Amortization, Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Net Prior Service Cost (Credit) Recognized in Net Periodic Benefit Cost, before Tax	200,000	200,000	700,000	800,000
Defined Benefit Plan, Amortization of Transition Obligations (Assets)	200,000	100,000	500,000	500,000
Defined Benefit Plan, Actuarial Net (Gains) Losses	0	100,000	400,000	300,000
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost	4,400,000	4,600,000	14,100,000	14,000,000
SCE&G
Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans
Environmental Remediation Costs Recognized in Regulatory Assets	38,600,000		38,600,000
Components of Net Periodic Benefit Cost
Pension Costs Related to Retail Electric Operations and Natural Gas Operations Deferred as Regulatory Assets	4,000,000	2,200,000	11,400,000	6,800,000
SCE&G | Pension Benefits
Components of Net Periodic Benefit Cost
Service cost	4,100,000	3,600,000	11,800,000.00	11,000,000.00
Interest cost	9,100,000.00	8,800,000.00	27,300,000.00	27,700,000.00
Expected return on assets	12,600,000	13,000,000	37,800,000	40,500,000
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Amortization, Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Net Prior Service Cost (Credit) Recognized in Net Periodic Benefit Cost, before Tax	1,600,000.00	1,500,000.00	4,500,000	4,500,000
Defined Benefit Plan, Actuarial Net (Gains) Losses	3,700,000.00	2,600,000.00	11,700,000	7,700,000
SCE&G | Other Postretirement Benefits
Components of Net Periodic Benefit Cost
Service cost	800,000	700,000	2,800,000.00	2,500,000
Interest cost	2,300,000.00	2,500,000.00	7,000,000.00	7,200,000.00
Expected return on assets	0.0	0.0	0	0.0
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Amortization, Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Net Prior Service Cost (Credit) Recognized in Net Periodic Benefit Cost, before Tax	100,000.00	200,000.00	500,000	600,000
Defined Benefit Plan, Actuarial Net (Gains) Losses	$ 100,000.00	$ 100,000.00	$ 300,000	$ 200,000