Risk Management and Hedging Activities Risk Management and Hedging Activities (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

Risk Management and Hedging Activities [Abstract]

Schedule of Derivative Instruments in Statement of Financial Position, Fair Value [Table Text Block]

The following table, which reflects master netting arrangements and excludes contracts that have been designated as normal under the normal purchases or normal sales exception afforded by GAAP, summarizes the fair value of PacifiCorp's derivative contracts, on a gross basis, and reconciles those amounts to the amounts presented on a net basis on the Consolidated Balance Sheets (in millions):

							Derivative
	Other						Contracts -			Other
	Current			Other			Current			Long-term
	Assets			Assets			Liabilities			Liabilities			Total
As of December 31, 2012
Not designated as hedging contracts(1):
Commodity assets	$	10		$	3		$	18		$	1		$	32
Commodity liabilities	(2		)	(2		)	(122		)	(27		)	(153		)
Total	8			1			(104		)	(26		)	(121		)
Total derivatives	8			1			(104		)	(26		)	(121		)
Cash collateral receivable	—			—			55			—			55
Total derivatives - net basis	$	8		$	1		$	(49	)	$	(26	)	$	(66	)
As of December 31, 2011
Not designated as hedging contracts(1):
Commodity assets	$	30		$	7		$	66		$	12		$	115
Commodity liabilities	(17		)	(3		)	(242		)	(117		)	(379		)
Total	13			4			(176		)	(105		)	(264		)
Total derivatives	13			4			(176		)	(105		)	(264		)
Cash collateral (payable) receivable	(2		)	—			86			39			123
Total derivatives - net basis	$	11		$	4		$	(90	)	$	(66	)	$	(141	)

(1) PacifiCorp's commodity derivatives are generally included in rates and as of December 31, 2012 and 2011, a regulatory asset of $121 million and $264 million, respectively, was recorded related to the net derivative liability of $121 million and $264 million, respectively.

Schedule of Regulatory Assets (Liabilities), Net, Unrealized Loss (Gain), Net, on Derivative Contracts [Table Text Block]

The following table reconciles the beginning and ending balances of PacifiCorp's regulatory assets and summarizes the pre-tax gains and losses on commodity derivative contracts recognized in regulatory assets, as well as amounts reclassified to earnings for the years ended December 31 (in millions):

	2012			2011
Beginning balance	$	264		$	487
Changes in fair value recognized in regulatory assets	45			(2		)
Net losses reclassified to unamortized contract value regulatory asset	—			(168		)
Net gains reclassified to operating revenue	38			18
Net losses reclassified to energy costs	(226		)	(71		)
Ending balance	$	121		$	264

Schedule of Notional Amounts of Outstanding Derivative Positions [Table Text Block]

The following table summarizes the net notional amounts of outstanding commodity derivative contracts with fixed price terms that comprise the mark-to-market values as of December 31 (in millions):

	Unit of
	Measure	2012		2011
Electricity sales	Megawatt hours	(1	)	(2	)
Natural gas purchases	Decatherms	74		96
Fuel oil purchases	Gallons	16		17