Name:	por_CompanyContributionPercentTo401KForBargainingEmployees
Namespace Prefix:	por_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Company contribution percentage of participating employee's base salary for employees hired post January 31, 2009, regardless of whether the employee contributes to the 401k plan.

No definition available.

Name:	por_CompanyContributionPercentageTo401KForPost2008Hires
Namespace Prefix:	por_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Company match, percentage of participating employee's base salary for employees hired post January 31, 2009.

No definition available.

Name:	por_CompanyMatchPost2008Hire
Namespace Prefix:	por_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Company match, percentage of participating employee's base salary for employees hired pre February 1, 2009.

No definition available.

Name:	por_CompanyMatchPre2009Hire
Namespace Prefix:	por_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Defined Benefit Plan, Effect of Decrease of Rate of Return on Plan Assets on Service and Interest Cost Components

No definition available.

Name:	por_DefinedBenefitPlanEffectOfDecreaseOfRateOfReturnOnPlanAssetsOnServiceAndInterestCostComponents
Namespace Prefix:	por_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

This represents the current liability recognized in the balance sheet that is associated with other postretirement defined benefit plans (excluding pension plans).

No definition available.

Name:	por_Otherpostretirementdefinedbenefitplanliabilitycurrent
Namespace Prefix:	por_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Amount of gain (loss) from change in actuarial assumptions which (increases) decreases benefit obligation of defined benefit plan. Assumptions include, but are not limited to, interest, mortality, employee turnover, salary, and temporary deviation from substantive plan.

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanActuarialGainLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

Amount of payment to participant of defined benefit plan which decreases benefit obligation. For pension plan, payment includes, but is not limited to, pension benefits and death benefits. For other postretirement plan, payment includes, but is not limited to, prescription drug benefits, health care benefits, life insurance benefits, and legal, educational and advisory services.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)(6)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118255775&loc=d3e1928-114920

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 60
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6414203&loc=d3e39716-114964

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanBenefitObligationBenefitsPaid
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanDisclosureLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Amount of increase in service and interest cost components of net periodic postretirement benefit cost from one-percentage-point increase in assumed health care cost trend rate.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/otherTransitionRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (m)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118255775&loc=d3e1928-114920

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanEffectOfOnePercentagePointIncreaseOnServiceAndInterestCostComponents
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Amount of gain (loss) recognized in net periodic benefit (cost) credit from settlement and curtailment.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-Subparagraph (a)(7)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118255775&loc=d3e2709-114920

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (h)(7)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118255775&loc=d3e1928-114920

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 3A
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109237824&loc=SL108413299-114919

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanRecognizedNetGainLossDueToSettlementsAndCurtailments1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

Amount of discretionary contributions made by an employer to a defined contribution plan.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanEmployerDiscretionaryContributionAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Amount of cost (reversal of cost) for pension and other postretirement benefits.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_PensionAndOtherPostretirementBenefitExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Amount of cash outflow for pension benefit. Includes, but is not limited to, employer contribution to fund plan asset and payment to retiree. Excludes other postretirement benefit.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 25
-Subparagraph (g)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121586364&loc=d3e3536-108585