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LONG-TERM DEBT, Financing Transactions (Details) (USD $)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
Dec. 31, 2010
Dec. 31, 2009
Financing Transactions [Abstract]      
Net proceeds from issuance $ 579,820,000 $ 985,419,000 $ 1,418,872,000
Secured General And Refunding Mortgage Securities Npc Series [Member]
     
Financing Transactions [Abstract]      
Maturity date 2011    
Secured, General and Refunding Mortgage Securities, Series X [Member]
     
Financing Transactions [Abstract]      
Maturity date 2040    
Secured, General and Refunding Mortgage Securities, Series Y [Member]
     
Financing Transactions [Abstract]      
Maturity date 2041    
NVE Senior Notes due 2014 [Member]
     
Financing Transactions [Abstract]      
Maturity date 2014    
NVE Senior Notes due 2017 [Member]
     
Financing Transactions [Abstract]      
Maturity date 2017    
NVE Senior Notes due 2020 [Member]
     
Financing Transactions [Abstract]      
Maturity date 2020    
NVE [Member] | Term Loan [Member]
     
Financing Transactions [Abstract]      
Issuance date October 2011    
Face amount 195,000,000    
Maturity date October 7, 2014    
Effective interest rate (in hundredths) 2.81%    
Covenant description (i) a financial covenant to maintain a ratio of total consolidated indebtedness to total consolidated capitalization, determined on the last day of each fiscal quarter, not to exceed 0.70 to 1.00 and (ii) a fixed charge covenant that requires NVE not to permit the fixed charge coverage ratio, determined on the last day of each fiscal quarter, to be less than 1.50 to 1.00    
LIBOR rate margin (in hundredths) 2.00%    
NVE [Member] | NVE Senior Notes due 2012 [Member]
     
Financing Transactions [Abstract]      
Maturity date   2012  
Debt redeemed   63,700,000  
Purchase price per $1,000 principal amount of Notes redeemed   1,019.51  
NVE [Member] | NVE Senior Notes due 2014 [Member]
     
Financing Transactions [Abstract]      
Maturity date   2014  
Debt redeemed   230,000,000  
Purchase price per $1,000 principal amount of Notes redeemed   1,028.75  
NVE [Member] | NVE Senior Notes due 2017 [Member]
     
Financing Transactions [Abstract]      
Percentage of stated principal amount plus accrued interest at which Notes will be redeemed (in hundredths) 102.25%    
Debt redeemed 191,500,000    
NVE [Member] | NVE Senior Notes due 2020 [Member]
     
Financing Transactions [Abstract]      
Face amount   315,000,000  
Maturity date   2020  
Net proceeds from issuance   311,000,000  
Proceeds from issuance used to redeem other debt   307,000,000  
NPC [Member]
     
Financing Transactions [Abstract]      
Net proceeds from issuance 386,884,000 637,463,000 1,065,338,000
NPC [Member] | Secured General And Refunding Mortgage Securities Npc Series [Member]
     
Financing Transactions [Abstract]      
Maturity date June 1, 2011    
Debt redeemed 350,000,000    
NPC [Member] | Secured, General and Refunding Mortgage Securities, Series X [Member]
     
Financing Transactions [Abstract]      
Issuance date   September 2010  
Face amount   250,000,000  
Maturity date   2040  
Net proceeds from issuance   247,000,000  
Proceeds from issuance used to redeem other debt   231,000,000  
NPC [Member] | Secured, General and Refunding Mortgage Securities, Series Y [Member]
     
Financing Transactions [Abstract]      
Issuance date May 2011    
Face amount 250,000,000    
Maturity date May 15, 2041    
Net proceeds from issuance 248,000,000    
Proceeds from issuance used to redeem other debt 248,000,000    
Notional amount of interest rate swap 250,000,000    
Swap transaction settlement date May 9, 2011    
Settlement payment amount 14,900,000    
Amortization period of regulatory asset established upon settlement of swap transaction (in years) 30    
NPC [Member] | Secured Variable Rate Debt, Revolving Credit Facilities [Member]
     
Financing Transactions [Abstract]      
Debt redeemed   16,000,000  
Credit facility maximum borrowing capacity   600,000,000  
Credit facility expiration date   April 2013  
Credit facility interest rate description   an applicable base rate (defined as the highest of the Prime Rate, the Federal Funds Rate plus ½ of 1.0% and the LIBOR Base Rate plus 1.0%) plus a margin, or a LIBOR rate plus a margin  
Base rate margin (in hundredths)   1.25%  
LIBOR rate margin (in hundredths)   2.25%  
Maximum percentage of total commitments in effect that limits reduction in availability (in hundredths)   50.00%  
Covenant terms   a ratio of consolidated indebtedness to consolidated capital, determined as of the last day of each fiscal quarter, not to exceed 0.68 to 1  
NPC [Member] | Fixed Rate, Unsecured Tax Exempt Local Furnishing Bonds [Member]
     
Financing Transactions [Abstract]      
Redemption notice date   October 2010  
Debt redeemed   206,000,000  
NPC [Member] | Unsecured Tax-Exempt Pollution Control Refunding Revenue Bonds [Member]
     
Financing Transactions [Abstract]      
Redemption notice date   October 2010  
Debt redeemed   20,000,000  
SPPC [Member]
     
Financing Transactions [Abstract]      
Net proceeds from issuance (403,000) 37,726,000 353,534,000
SPPC [Member] | Secured, General and Refunding Mortgage Securities, SPPC Series H [Member]
     
Financing Transactions [Abstract]      
Maturity date   2012  
Debt redeemed   100,000,000  
Purchase price per $1,000 principal amount of Notes redeemed   1,069.61  
SPPC [Member] | Secured Variable Rate Debt, Revolving Credit Facilities [Member]
     
Financing Transactions [Abstract]      
Credit facility maximum borrowing capacity   $ 250,000,000  
Credit facility expiration date   April 2013  
Credit facility interest rate description   an applicable base rate (defined as the highest of the Prime Rate, the Federal Funds Rate plus ½ of 1.0% and the LIBOR Base Rate plus 1.0%) plus a margin, or a LIBOR rate plus a margin  
Base rate margin (in hundredths)   1.25%  
LIBOR rate margin (in hundredths)   2.25%  
Maximum percentage of total commitments in effect that limits reduction in availability (in hundredths)   50.00%  
Covenant terms   a ratio of consolidated indebtedness to consolidated capital, determined as of the last day of each fiscal quarter, not to exceed 0.68 to 1