EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS (Details 3) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	$ 799.0	$ 755.0
Equity Securities [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	319.0	324.0
Preferred Stock [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	1.0	1.0
Equity Funds [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	246.0	183.0
Short-term Investments [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	20.0	23.0
Agency Securities [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	42.0	32.0
Corporate Debt Securities [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	56.0	51.0
Loans Secured by Mortgage [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	11.0	12.0
Municipal Bonds [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	4.0	4.0
Limited Partner [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets		37.0
Limited Partner [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	30.0	23.0
Hedge Funds, Multi-strategy [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	70.0	65.0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	333.0	345.0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] \| Equity Securities [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	319.0	324.0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] \| Preferred Stock [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	1.0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] \| Equity Funds [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	12.0	20.0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] \| Limited Partner [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	1.0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	396.0	345.0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] \| Equity Funds [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	234.0	163.0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] \| Short-term Investments [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	20.0	23.0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] \| Agency Securities [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	42.0	32.0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] \| Corporate Debt Securities [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	56.0	51.0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] \| Loans Secured by Mortgage [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	11.0	12.0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] \| Municipal Bonds [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	4.0	4.0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] \| Limited Partner [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets		37.0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] \| Limited Partner [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	29.0	23.0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	70.0	65.0	45.0
Fair Value, Investments, Entities that Calculate Net Asset Value Per Share, Unobservable Input, Unrealized Gains (Losses), Changes in Assets and Liabilities, Net	5	(1)
Defined Benefit Plan, Purchases, Sales, and Settlements	0	21
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] \| Hedge Funds, Multi-strategy [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	70.0	65.0
SCE&G
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	732.0	695.0
SCE&G \| Equity Securities [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	292.0	298.0
SCE&G \| Preferred Stock [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	1.0	1.0
SCE&G \| Equity Funds [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	226.0	169.0
SCE&G \| Short-term Investments [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	18.0	21.0
SCE&G \| Agency Securities [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	38.0	29.0
SCE&G \| Corporate Debt Securities [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	52.0	47.0
SCE&G \| Loans Secured by Mortgage [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	10.0	11.0
SCE&G \| Municipal Bonds [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	4.0	4.0
SCE&G \| Limited Partner [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets		34.0
SCE&G \| Limited Partner [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	27.0	21.0
SCE&G \| Hedge Funds, Multi-strategy [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	64.0	60.0
SCE&G \| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	306.0	318.0
SCE&G \| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] \| Equity Securities [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	292.0	298.0
SCE&G \| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] \| Preferred Stock [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	1.0	1.0
SCE&G \| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] \| Equity Funds [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	12.0	19.0
SCE&G \| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] \| Limited Partner [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	1.0
SCE&G \| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	362.0	317.0
SCE&G \| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] \| Equity Funds [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	214.0	150.0
SCE&G \| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] \| Short-term Investments [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	18.0	21.0
SCE&G \| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] \| Agency Securities [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	38.0	29.0
SCE&G \| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] \| Corporate Debt Securities [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	52.0	47.0
SCE&G \| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] \| Loans Secured by Mortgage [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	10.0	11.0
SCE&G \| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] \| Municipal Bonds [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	4.0	4.0
SCE&G \| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] \| Limited Partner [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets		34.0
SCE&G \| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] \| Limited Partner [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	26.0	21.0
SCE&G \| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	64.0	60.0	41.0
Fair Value, Investments, Entities that Calculate Net Asset Value Per Share, Unobservable Input, Unrealized Gains (Losses), Changes in Assets and Liabilities, Net	4	(1)
Defined Benefit Plan, Purchases, Sales, and Settlements	0	20
SCE&G \| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] \| Hedge Funds, Multi-strategy [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	$ 64.0	$ 60.0

Assets, usually stocks, bonds, and other investments, that have been segregated and restricted (usually in a trust) to provide benefits, at their fair value as of the measurement date. Plan assets include amounts contributed by the employer (and by employees for a contributory plan) and amounts earned from investing the contributions, less benefits paid. If a plan has liabilities other than for benefits, those non-benefit obligations may be considered as reductions of plan assets.

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