Fair Value Disclosures - Fair Value of Financial Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Financial instruments, assets	$ 387	$ 116
Financial instruments, liabilities	29	30
Natural Gas [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Derivative instruments, assets	1	1
Treasury Fund [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	305	34
Life Insurance Contracts [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Executive deferred compensation plan assets	66	66
Executive deferred compensation plan liabilities	29	30
Money Market Funds [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Executive deferred compensation plan assets	15	15
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Instruments (Level 1) [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Financial instruments, assets	321	50
Financial instruments, liabilities
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Instruments (Level 1) [Member] | Natural Gas [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Derivative instruments, assets	1	1
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Instruments (Level 1) [Member] | Treasury Fund [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	305	34
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Instruments (Level 1) [Member] | Life Insurance Contracts [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Executive deferred compensation plan assets
Executive deferred compensation plan liabilities
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Instruments (Level 1) [Member] | Money Market Funds [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Executive deferred compensation plan assets	15	15
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Financial instruments, assets	47	47
Financial instruments, liabilities	29	30
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Natural Gas [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Derivative instruments, assets
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Treasury Fund [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Restricted cash and cash equivalents
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Life Insurance Contracts [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Executive deferred compensation plan assets	47	47
Executive deferred compensation plan liabilities	29	30
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Money Market Funds [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Executive deferred compensation plan assets
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Financial instruments, assets	19	19
Financial instruments, liabilities
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Natural Gas [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Derivative instruments, assets
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Treasury Fund [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Restricted cash and cash equivalents
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Life Insurance Contracts [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Executive deferred compensation plan assets	19	19
Executive deferred compensation plan liabilities
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Money Market Funds [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Executive deferred compensation plan assets
Potomac Electric Power Co [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Financial instruments, assets	345	77
Financial instruments, liabilities	7	7
Potomac Electric Power Co [Member] | Treasury Fund [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	272	3
Potomac Electric Power Co [Member] | Life Insurance Contracts [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Executive deferred compensation plan assets	60	61
Executive deferred compensation plan liabilities	7	7
Potomac Electric Power Co [Member] | Money Market Funds [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Executive deferred compensation plan assets	13	13
Potomac Electric Power Co [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Instruments (Level 1) [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Financial instruments, assets	285	16
Financial instruments, liabilities
Potomac Electric Power Co [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Instruments (Level 1) [Member] | Treasury Fund [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	272	3
Potomac Electric Power Co [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Instruments (Level 1) [Member] | Life Insurance Contracts [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Executive deferred compensation plan assets
Executive deferred compensation plan liabilities
Potomac Electric Power Co [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Instruments (Level 1) [Member] | Money Market Funds [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Executive deferred compensation plan assets	13	13
Potomac Electric Power Co [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Financial instruments, assets	42	43
Financial instruments, liabilities	7	7
Potomac Electric Power Co [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Treasury Fund [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Restricted cash and cash equivalents
Potomac Electric Power Co [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Life Insurance Contracts [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Executive deferred compensation plan assets	42	43
Executive deferred compensation plan liabilities	7	7
Potomac Electric Power Co [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Money Market Funds [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Executive deferred compensation plan assets
Potomac Electric Power Co [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Financial instruments, assets	18	18
Financial instruments, liabilities
Potomac Electric Power Co [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Treasury Fund [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Restricted cash and cash equivalents
Potomac Electric Power Co [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Life Insurance Contracts [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Executive deferred compensation plan assets	18	18
Executive deferred compensation plan liabilities
Potomac Electric Power Co [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Money Market Funds [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Executive deferred compensation plan assets
Delmarva Power & Light Co/De [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Financial instruments, assets	12	3
Financial instruments, liabilities	1	1
Delmarva Power & Light Co/De [Member] | Natural Gas [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Derivative instruments, assets	1	1
Delmarva Power & Light Co/De [Member] | Treasury Fund [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	9
Delmarva Power & Light Co/De [Member] | Life Insurance Contracts [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Executive deferred compensation plan assets	1	1
Executive deferred compensation plan liabilities	1	1
Delmarva Power & Light Co/De [Member] | Money Market Funds [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Executive deferred compensation plan assets	1	1
Delmarva Power & Light Co/De [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Instruments (Level 1) [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Financial instruments, assets	11	2
Financial instruments, liabilities
Delmarva Power & Light Co/De [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Instruments (Level 1) [Member] | Natural Gas [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Derivative instruments, assets	1	1
Delmarva Power & Light Co/De [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Instruments (Level 1) [Member] | Treasury Fund [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	9
Delmarva Power & Light Co/De [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Instruments (Level 1) [Member] | Life Insurance Contracts [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Executive deferred compensation plan assets
Executive deferred compensation plan liabilities
Delmarva Power & Light Co/De [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Instruments (Level 1) [Member] | Money Market Funds [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Executive deferred compensation plan assets	1	1
Delmarva Power & Light Co/De [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Financial instruments, assets
Financial instruments, liabilities	1	1
Delmarva Power & Light Co/De [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Natural Gas [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Derivative instruments, assets
Delmarva Power & Light Co/De [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Treasury Fund [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Restricted cash and cash equivalents
Delmarva Power & Light Co/De [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Life Insurance Contracts [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Executive deferred compensation plan assets
Executive deferred compensation plan liabilities	1	1
Delmarva Power & Light Co/De [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Money Market Funds [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Executive deferred compensation plan assets
Delmarva Power & Light Co/De [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Financial instruments, assets	1	1
Financial instruments, liabilities
Delmarva Power & Light Co/De [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Natural Gas [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Derivative instruments, assets
Delmarva Power & Light Co/De [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Treasury Fund [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Restricted cash and cash equivalents
Delmarva Power & Light Co/De [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Life Insurance Contracts [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Executive deferred compensation plan assets	1	1
Executive deferred compensation plan liabilities
Delmarva Power & Light Co/De [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Money Market Funds [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Executive deferred compensation plan assets
Atlantic City Electric Co [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Financial instruments, assets	24	24
Financial instruments, liabilities	1
Atlantic City Electric Co [Member] | Treasury Fund [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	24	24
Atlantic City Electric Co [Member] | Life Insurance Contracts [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Executive deferred compensation plan liabilities	1
Atlantic City Electric Co [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Instruments (Level 1) [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Financial instruments, assets	24	24
Financial instruments, liabilities
Atlantic City Electric Co [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Instruments (Level 1) [Member] | Treasury Fund [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	24	24
Atlantic City Electric Co [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Instruments (Level 1) [Member] | Life Insurance Contracts [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Executive deferred compensation plan liabilities
Atlantic City Electric Co [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Financial instruments, assets
Financial instruments, liabilities	1
Atlantic City Electric Co [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Treasury Fund [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Restricted cash and cash equivalents
Atlantic City Electric Co [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Life Insurance Contracts [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Executive deferred compensation plan liabilities	1
Atlantic City Electric Co [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Financial instruments, assets
Financial instruments, liabilities
Atlantic City Electric Co [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Treasury Fund [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Restricted cash and cash equivalents
Atlantic City Electric Co [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Life Insurance Contracts [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Executive deferred compensation plan liabilities