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Commitments and Contingencies, Legal Contingencies (Details) (USD $)
3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 13 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Sep. 30, 2014
Jun. 30, 2014
Mar. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Sep. 30, 2013
Jun. 30, 2013
Mar. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Jun. 30, 2001
Legal Contingencies [Abstract]                        
Sales to the City of Seattle $ 1,136,791,000us-gaap_Revenues $ 1,049,111,000us-gaap_Revenues $ 993,704,000us-gaap_Revenues $ 1,203,543,000us-gaap_Revenues $ 1,074,442,000us-gaap_Revenues $ 1,044,300,000us-gaap_Revenues $ 966,429,000us-gaap_Revenues $ 1,117,457,000us-gaap_Revenues $ 4,383,149,000us-gaap_Revenues $ 4,202,628,000us-gaap_Revenues $ 3,969,293,000us-gaap_Revenues  
Pacific Northwest FERC Refund Proceeding [Member]                        
Legal Contingencies [Abstract]                        
Accrual for legal contingency 0us-gaap_LossContingencyAccrualAtCarryingValue
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= psco_PacificNorthwestFercRefundProceedingMember
              0us-gaap_LossContingencyAccrualAtCarryingValue
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= psco_PacificNorthwestFercRefundProceedingMember
     
Minimum amount of damages claimed by plaintiff 34,000,000psco_MinimumAmountOfDamagesClaimedByPlaintiff
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= psco_PacificNorthwestFercRefundProceedingMember
              34,000,000psco_MinimumAmountOfDamagesClaimedByPlaintiff
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= psco_PacificNorthwestFercRefundProceedingMember
     
Sales to the City of Seattle                       50,000,000us-gaap_Revenues
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= psco_PacificNorthwestFercRefundProceedingMember
Estimated City of Seattle's claim for refunds not including interest $ 28,000,000us-gaap_LossContingencyEstimateOfPossibleLoss
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= psco_PacificNorthwestFercRefundProceedingMember
              $ 28,000,000us-gaap_LossContingencyEstimateOfPossibleLoss
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= psco_PacificNorthwestFercRefundProceedingMember
     
Number of factors considered in assessment                 2psco_NumberOfFactorsConsideredInAssessment
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= psco_PacificNorthwestFercRefundProceedingMember