EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011
Components of Net Periodic Benefit Cost
Pension Costs Related to Retail Electric Operations and Natural Gas Operations Deferred as Regulatory Assets	$ 3,700,000	$ 2,300,000	$ 7,400,000	$ 4,600,000
Pension Benefits
Components of Net Periodic Benefit Cost
Service cost	4,900,000	4,600,000	9,700,000	9,200,000
Interest cost	10,600,000	11,100,000	21,300,000	22,200,000
Expected return on assets	(14,800,000)	(16,200,000)	(29,600,000)	(32,400,000)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Amortization, Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Net Prior Service Cost (Credit) Recognized in Net Periodic Benefit Cost, before Tax	1,800,000	1,800,000	3,500,000	3,600,000
Defined Benefit Plan, Amortization of Transition Obligations (Assets)	0	0	0	0
Defined Benefit Plan, Actuarial Net (Gains) Losses	4,600,000	3,000,000	9,300,000	6,000,000
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost	7,100,000	4,300,000	14,200,000	8,600,000
Other Postretirement Benefits
Components of Net Periodic Benefit Cost
Service cost	1,200,000	1,100,000	2,500,000	2,200,000
Interest cost	3,000,000	3,000,000	6,000,000	6,000,000
Expected return on assets	0	0	0	0
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Amortization, Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Net Prior Service Cost (Credit) Recognized in Net Periodic Benefit Cost, before Tax	300,000	300,000	500,000	600,000
Defined Benefit Plan, Amortization of Transition Obligations (Assets)	100,000	200,000	300,000	400,000
Defined Benefit Plan, Actuarial Net (Gains) Losses	200,000	100,000	400,000	200,000
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost	4,800,000	4,700,000	9,700,000	9,400,000
SCE&G
Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans
Environmental Remediation Costs Recognized in Regulatory Assets	24,300,000		24,300,000
Components of Net Periodic Benefit Cost
Pension Costs Related to Retail Electric Operations and Natural Gas Operations Deferred as Regulatory Assets		2,300,000	7,400,000	4,600,000
SCE&G | Pension Benefits
Components of Net Periodic Benefit Cost
Service cost	3.8	3.7	7.7	7.4
Interest cost	9.1	9.5	18.2	18.9
Expected return on assets	12.6	13.7	25.2	27.5
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Amortization, Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Net Prior Service Cost (Credit) Recognized in Net Periodic Benefit Cost, before Tax	(1.5)	(1.5)	(2.9)	(3.0)
Defined Benefit Plan, Actuarial Net (Gains) Losses	4.0	2.5	8.0	5.1
SCE&G | Other Postretirement Benefits
Components of Net Periodic Benefit Cost
Service cost	1.0	0.9	2.0	1.8
Interest cost	2.3	2.3	4.7	4.7
Expected return on assets	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Amortization, Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Net Prior Service Cost (Credit) Recognized in Net Periodic Benefit Cost, before Tax	(0.2)	(0.2)	(0.4)	(0.4)
Defined Benefit Plan, Actuarial Net (Gains) Losses	$ 0.1	$ 0.1	$ 0.2	$ 0.1