Balance Sheet Components (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2011

Balance Sheet Components [Abstract]

Schedule of Valuation and Qualifying Accounts Disclosure [Text Block]

The activity in the allowance for uncollectible accounts is as follows (in millions):

	Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2011			2010
Balance as of beginning of period	$	5		$	5
Provision, net	6			5
Amounts written off, less recoveries	(6		)	(5		)
Balance as of end of period	$	5		$	5

Schedule of Public Utility Property, Plant, and Equipment [Table Text Block]

Electric utility plant, net consists of the following (in millions):

	September 30, 2011			December 31, 2010
Electric utility plant	$	6,509		$	6,279
Construction work in progress	134			125
Total cost	6,643			6,404
Less: accumulated depreciation and amortization	(2,388		)	(2,271		)
Electric utility plant, net	$	4,255		$	4,133

In 2011, $7 million of costs related to the Cascade Crossing Transmission Project were transferred to Construction work in progress. Such costs were previously included within preliminary engineering, which is included in Other noncurrent assets in the condensed consolidated balance sheets.

Accumulated depreciation and amortization in the table above includes accumulated amortization related to intangible assets of $147 million and $133 million as of September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, respectively.

Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Text Block]

Regulatory assets and liabilities consist of the following (in millions):

	September 30, 2011				December 31, 2010
	Current		Noncurrent		Current		Noncurrent
Regulatory assets:
Price risk management	$	187	$	147	$	175	$	185
Pension and other postretirement plans	—		205		—		213
Deferred income taxes	—		89		—		95
Deferred broker settlements	8		—		24		—
Renewable energy deferral	6		—		22		—
Debt reacquisition costs	—		21		—		23
Other	7		19		—		28
Total regulatory assets	$	208	$	481	$	221	$	544
Regulatory liabilities:
Asset retirement removal costs	$	—	$	626	$	—	$	588
Asset retirement obligations	—		35		—		33
Power cost adjustment mechanism	—		17		—		—
Regulatory treatment of income taxes (SB 408)	6		1		5		9
Trojan ISFSI pollution control tax credits	5		6		18		4
Other	1		27		2		23
Total regulatory liabilities	$	12	$	712	$	25	$	657

Other Liabilities Disclosure [Text Block]

Other current liabilities consist of the following (in millions):

	September 30, 2011		December 31, 2010
Accrued taxes payable	$	66	$	22
Accrued interest payable	36		26
Accrued dividends payable	21		20
Other	8		10
Total other current liabilities	$	131	$	78

Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits Disclosure [Text Block]

Components of net periodic benefit cost are as follows for the three months ended September 30 (in millions):

	Defined Benefit Pension Plan						Other Postretirement Benefit Plans					Non-Qualified Benefit Plans
	2011			2010			2011		2010			2011		2010
Service cost	$	3		$	3		$	1	$	—		$	—	$	—
Interest cost	7			7			1		1			1		—
Expected return on plan assets	(10		)	(10		)	—		(1		)	—		—
Amortization of prior service cost	—			1			—		1			—		—
Amortization of net actuarial loss	2			—			—		—			—		1
Net periodic benefit cost	$	2		$	1		$	2	$	1		$	1	$	1

Components of net periodic benefit cost are as follows for the nine months ended September 30 (in millions):

	Defined Benefit Pension Plan						Other Postretirement Benefit Plans					Non-Qualified Benefit Plans
	2011			2010			2011		2010			2011		2010
Service cost	$	9		$	9		$	2	$	1		$	—	$	—
Interest cost	21			21			3		3			2		1
Expected return on plan assets	(30		)	(30		)	—		(1		)	—		—
Amortization of prior service cost	—			1			—		1			—		—
Amortization of net actuarial loss	6			2			—		1			—		1
Net periodic benefit cost	$	6		$	3		$	5	$	5		$	2	$	2