COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (Details) (USD $)	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended				3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			3 Months Ended
	Nov. 30, 2010	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jul. 11, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Sep. 30, 2012 SCE&G	Sep. 30, 2012 SCE&G	Dec. 31, 2011 SCE&G	Dec. 31, 2005 SCE&G	May 01, 2011 SCE&G	Sep. 30, 2012 PSNC Energy	Sep. 30, 2012 SCE&G
Nuclear Insurance
Federal limit on public liability claims from nuclear incident, approximate							$ 12,600,000,000
scg_Maximum Insurance Coverage for each Nuclear Plant by ANI							375,000,000	375,000,000
Maximum liability assessment per reactor for each nuclear incident							117,500,000		78,300,000
Maximum yearly assessment per reactor							17,500,000						11,700,000
Inflation adjustment period for nuclear insurance			5
Maximum prosepective insurance premium per nuclear incident							37,300,000
Maximum amount of coverage to nuclear facility for property damage and outage costs							2,750,000,000	2,750,000,000
Maximum amount of coverage for accidental property damage							500,000,000	500,000,000
Environmental
Number of states required to reduce emissions to attain mandated levels										28
Years to meet standards CAMR								4
Public Utilities Construction of New Nuclear Generating Units								6
Number of MGP decommissioned sites that contain residues of by-product chemicals							4
Additional costs to be incurred for remediation							22,400,000
Deferred costs, net of costs previously recovered through rates and insurance settlements included in regulatory assets							38,600,000	38,600,000
Number of MGP sites that require environmental clean-up												5
Regulatory assets		1,290,000,000	1,290,000,000		1,279,000,000		1,216,000,000	1,216,000,000	1,206,000,000			3,100,000
Nuclear Generation
Number of nuclear electric generation units								2
Power Generation Capacity Megawatts							1,117	1,117
Percentage applicable to the Company (as a percent)		55.00%	55.00%		55.00%		55.00%	55.00%	55.00%
Percentage applicable to joint owner 2 (as a percent)		45.00%	45.00%				45.00%	45.00%
Estimated cash outflow for plant costs and related transmission infrastructure costs of nuclear electric generation site		6,000,000,000
Jointly Owned Utility Plant, Ownership Amount of Construction Work in Progress				138,000,000
Capital Cost Related to New Federal Healthcare Etc.			6,000,000
Public Utilities, Property, Plant and Equipment Identifiable Capital Costs	283,000,000
Share in Approved Capital Costs						8,000,000					173,900,000
Public Utilities Additional Labor Expenses for Oversight of New Units			$ 132,000,000