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Income Taxes (Tables)
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2021
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Schedule of unrecognized tax benefits roll forward
The following is a tabular reconciliation of the total amounts of unrecognized tax benefits, excluding interest and penalties, at the beginning and end of the year that are included in accrued taxes and unrecognized tax benefits (dollars in thousands):
Pinnacle West ConsolidatedAPS Consolidated
 202120202019202120202019
Total unrecognized tax benefits, January 1$45,655 $43,435 $40,731 $45,655 $43,435 $40,731 
Additions for tax positions of the current year3,305 3,418 3,373 3,305 3,418 3,373 
Additions for tax positions of prior years1,449 1,431 1,843 1,449 1,431 1,843 
Reductions for tax positions of prior years for:      
Changes in judgment(2,659)(1,965)(2,078)(2,659)(1,965)(2,078)
Settlements with taxing authorities— — — — — — 
Lapses of applicable statute of limitations(2,664)(664)(434)(2,664)(664)(434)
Total unrecognized tax benefits, December 31$45,086 $45,655 $43,435 $45,086 $45,655 $43,435 
Summary of unrecognized tax benefits
Included in the balances of unrecognized tax benefits are the following tax positions that, if recognized, would decrease our effective tax rate (dollars in thousands):
Pinnacle West ConsolidatedAPS Consolidated
 202120202019202120202019
Tax positions, that if recognized, would decrease our effective tax rate$26,300 $25,714 $22,813 $26,300 $25,714 $22,813 
The amount of interest expense or benefit recognized related to unrecognized tax benefits are as follows (dollars in thousands):
Pinnacle West ConsolidatedAPS Consolidated
 202120202019202120202019
Unrecognized tax benefit interest expense/(benefit) recognized$(535)$266 $459 $(535)$266 $459 

Following are the total amount of accrued liabilities for interest recognized related to unrecognized benefits that could reverse and decrease our effective tax rate to the extent matters are settled favorably (dollars in thousands):
Pinnacle West ConsolidatedAPS Consolidated
 202120202019202120202019
Unrecognized tax benefit interest accrued $1,320 $1,855 $1,589 $1,320 $1,855 $1,589 
Components of income tax expense The components of income tax expense are as follows (dollars in thousands):
Pinnacle West ConsolidatedAPS Consolidated
 Year Ended December 31,Year Ended December 31,
 202120202019202120202019
Current:   
Federal$(5,041)$11,869 $(13,551)$1,514 $57,299 $(54,697)
State2,458 1,932 3,195 (11)99 695 
Total current(2,583)13,801 (10,356)1,503 57,398 (54,002)
Deferred:      
Federal95,327 53,398 (14,982)101,175 15,122 29,321 
State17,342 10,974 9,565 22,875 16,244 15,109 
Total deferred112,669 64,372 (5,417)124,050 31,366 44,430 
Income tax expense/(benefit)$110,086 $78,173 $(15,773)$125,553 $88,764 $(9,572)
Comparison of pretax income from continuing operations at the federal income tax rate to income tax expense - continuing operations The following chart compares pretax income at the 21% statutory federal income tax rate to income tax expense (dollars in thousands):
Pinnacle West ConsolidatedAPS Consolidated
 Year Ended December 31,Year Ended December 31,
 202120202019202120202019
Federal income tax expense at statutory rate$156,666 $136,127 $113,828 $162,762 $142,020 $120,790 
Increases (reductions) in tax expense resulting from:      
State income tax net of federal income tax benefit22,656 19,146 18,599 23,339 20,124 19,267 
State income tax credits net of federal income tax benefit(7,015)(8,951)(8,519)(5,277)(7,213)(6,781)
Net operating loss carryback tax benefit(5,915)— — — — — 
Excess deferred income taxes — Tax Cuts and Jobs Act(36,558)(50,543)(124,082)(36,558)(50,543)(124,082)
Allowance for equity funds used during construction (see Note 1)(4,180)(2,747)(2,476)(4,180)(2,747)(2,476)
Palo Verde VIE noncontrolling interest (see Note 18)(3,617)(4,094)(4,094)(3,617)(4,094)(4,094)
Investment tax credit amortization(7,620)(7,510)(6,851)(7,620)(7,510)(6,851)
Other(4,331)(3,255)(2,178)(3,296)(1,273)(5,345)
Income tax expense/(benefit)$110,086 $78,173 $(15,773)$125,553 $88,764 $(9,572)
Components of the net deferred income tax liability The components of the net deferred income tax liability were as follows (dollars in thousands):
Pinnacle West ConsolidatedAPS Consolidated
 December 31,December 31,
 2021202020212020
DEFERRED TAX ASSETS  
Risk management activities$677 $4,287 $677 $4,287 
Regulatory liabilities:   
Excess deferred income taxes — Tax Cuts and Jobs Act306,915 319,091 306,915 319,091 
Asset retirement obligation and removal costs174,952 157,470 174,952 157,470 
Unamortized investment tax credits49,601 50,879 49,601 50,879 
Other postretirement benefits92,654 95,778 92,654 95,778 
Other65,815 43,551 65,815 43,551 
Operating lease liabilities204,890 107,853 204,378 107,414 
Pension liabilities42,136 45,853 37,814 40,168 
Coal reclamation liabilities43,165 42,065 43,165 42,065 
Renewable energy incentives22,646 25,355 22,646 25,355 
Credit and loss carryforwards57,077 26,460 18,902 8,034 
Other74,184 78,113 74,184 78,113 
Total deferred tax assets1,134,712 996,755 1,091,703 972,205 
DEFERRED TAX LIABILITIES   
Plant-related(2,570,613)(2,489,899)(2,570,613)(2,489,899)
Risk management activities(27,276)(1,174)(27,276)(1,174)
Pension and other postretirement assets(133,624)(123,462)(132,769)(122,580)
Other special use funds(64,610)(42,927)(64,610)(42,927)
Operating lease right-of-use assets(204,890)(107,853)(204,378)(107,414)
Regulatory assets:   
Allowance for equity funds used during construction(42,616)(41,038)(42,616)(41,038)
Deferred fuel and purchased power(96,033)(47,673)(96,033)(47,673)
Pension benefits(126,010)(116,219)(126,010)(116,219)
Retired power plant costs (28,389)(35,214)(28,389)(35,214)
Other(123,902)(106,227)(123,902)(106,227)
Other(28,611)(20,472)(6,808)(5,513)
Total deferred tax liabilities(3,446,574)(3,132,158)(3,423,404)(3,115,878)
Deferred income taxes — net$(2,311,862)$(2,135,403)$(2,331,701)$(2,143,673)