Fair Value (Nonrecurring Measurements) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014		Mar. 31, 2013
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Nonrecurring Basis [Abstract]
Impairment expenses	$ 166		$ 48
Goodwill impairment expense	154		0
East Bend DPL [Member]
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Nonrecurring Basis [Abstract]
Fair Value, Nonrecurring	2
DPLER [Member]
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Nonrecurring Basis [Abstract]
Goodwill impairment expense	136
Buffalo Gap [Member]
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Nonrecurring Basis [Abstract]
Goodwill impairment expense	18
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | East Bend DPL [Member]
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Nonrecurring Basis [Abstract]
Impairment expenses	12	[1]
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Beaver Valley [Member]
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Nonrecurring Basis [Abstract]
Impairment expenses			46	[1]
Long Lived Assets Held For Sale [Member] | Wind turbines [Member]
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Nonrecurring Basis [Abstract]
Impairment expenses			0	[1]
Discontinued operations and held for sale businesses [Member] | Cameroon [Member]
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Nonrecurring Basis [Abstract]
Impairment expenses	38	[2]
Discontinued operations and held for sale businesses [Member] | Ukraine utilities [Member]
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Nonrecurring Basis [Abstract]
Goodwill impairment expense			38
Goodwill [Member] | DPLER [Member]
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Nonrecurring Basis [Abstract]
Goodwill impairment expense	136	[3]
Goodwill [Member] | Buffalo Gap [Member]
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Nonrecurring Basis [Abstract]
Goodwill impairment expense	18	[3]
Carrying Amount [Member] | Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | East Bend DPL [Member]
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Nonrecurring Basis [Abstract]
Fair Value, Nonrecurring	14	[1]
Carrying Amount [Member] | Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Beaver Valley [Member]
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Nonrecurring Basis [Abstract]
Fair Value, Nonrecurring			61	[1]
Carrying Amount [Member] | Long Lived Assets Held For Sale [Member] | Wind turbines [Member]
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Nonrecurring Basis [Abstract]
Fair Value, Nonrecurring			25	[1]
Carrying Amount [Member] | Discontinued operations and held for sale businesses [Member] | Cameroon [Member]
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Nonrecurring Basis [Abstract]
Fair Value, Nonrecurring	372	[2]
Carrying Amount [Member] | Discontinued operations and held for sale businesses [Member] | Ukraine utilities [Member]
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Nonrecurring Basis [Abstract]
Fair Value, Nonrecurring			143
Carrying Amount [Member] | Goodwill [Member] | DPLER [Member]
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Nonrecurring Basis [Abstract]
Fair Value, Nonrecurring	136	[3]
Carrying Amount [Member] | Goodwill [Member] | Buffalo Gap [Member]
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Nonrecurring Basis [Abstract]
Fair Value, Nonrecurring	28	[3]
Fair Value [Member] | Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | East Bend DPL [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Nonrecurring Basis [Abstract]
Fair Value, Nonrecurring	2	[1]
Fair Value [Member] | Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Beaver Valley [Member] | Level 1 [Member]
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Nonrecurring Basis [Abstract]
Fair Value, Nonrecurring			0	[1]
Fair Value [Member] | Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Beaver Valley [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Nonrecurring Basis [Abstract]
Fair Value, Nonrecurring			0	[1]
Fair Value [Member] | Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Beaver Valley [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Nonrecurring Basis [Abstract]
Fair Value, Nonrecurring			15	[1]
Fair Value [Member] | Long Lived Assets Held For Sale [Member] | Wind turbines [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Nonrecurring Basis [Abstract]
Fair Value, Nonrecurring			25	[1]
Fair Value [Member] | Discontinued operations and held for sale businesses [Member] | Cameroon [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Nonrecurring Basis [Abstract]
Fair Value, Nonrecurring	340	[2]
Fair Value [Member] | Discontinued operations and held for sale businesses [Member] | Ukraine utilities [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Nonrecurring Basis [Abstract]
Fair Value, Nonrecurring			109
Fair Value [Member] | Goodwill [Member] | Buffalo Gap [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Nonrecurring Basis [Abstract]
Fair Value, Nonrecurring	$ 10	[3]

[1] See Note 15 — Asset Impairment Expense for further information.

[2] See Note 16 — Discontinued Operations and Held-For-Sale Businesses for further information. Also, the gross loss equals the carrying amount of the disposal group less its fair value less costs to sell.

[3] See Note 14 - Goodwill Impairments for further information.