Income Taxes (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Income Taxes
Long-term income tax receivables			$ 70,389,000
Decrease in long term deferred tax liability	80,000,000
Period over which deferred income tax liability would have been repaid		20 years
Income Taxes, additional disclosures
Percentage of bonus depreciation for federal income tax purposes		50.00%
Federal general business income tax credit carryforwards whose realization will be delayed on recognition of cash benefit			78,000,000
Federal general business income tax credit carryforwards	78,000,000	78,000,000
Palo Verde VIE
Income Taxes
Income tax expense associates with the VIE's		0
ARIZONA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY
Income Taxes
Long-term income tax receivables			70,784,000
Decrease in uncertain tax positions	67,000,000	67,000,000
Income tax receivable that will be reclassified from long term to short-term	137,000,000
Anticipated refund amount	4,000,000	4,000,000
ARIZONA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY | Expected contributions
Income Taxes
Decrease in uncertain tax positions	$ 35,000,000	$ 35,000,000