Segment and Related Information (Income Statement and Balance Sheet Data) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012		Sep. 30, 2012		Jun. 30, 2012		Mar. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011		Sep. 30, 2011		Jun. 30, 2011		Mar. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2012 Integer		Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010
Segment Information (Numeric) [Abstract]
Number of reportable segments subsequent to the acquisition																	4
Income Statement Data
Revenues from external customers																	$ 12,286		$ 12,737		$ 8,521
Depreciation																	1,100		960		556
Amortization																	186		254		213
Unrealized (gains) losses on derivatives, and other hedging activities																	27		(314)		542
Interest Income																	5		7		8
Interest Expenses																	961		898		593
Income from Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes																	2,082		2,201		1,239
Income Taxes																	545		691		263
Deferred income taxes and investment tax credits																	426	[1]	584	[1]	251	[1]
Net Income Attributable to PPL Shareowners	359	[2]	355	[2]	271	[2]	541	[2]	454	[2]	444	[2]	196	[2]	401	[2]	1,526		1,495		938
Cash Flow [Abstract]
Expenditures for long-lived assets																	3,153		2,556		1,639
Balance Sheet Data
Assets	43,634								42,648								43,634		42,648
Kentucky Regulated [Member]
Income Statement Data
Depreciation																	346		334		49
Amortization																	27	[3]	27	[3]
Unrealized (gains) losses on derivatives, and other hedging activities																			(2)	[4]	1	[4]
Interest Expenses																	219		217		55
Income from Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes																	263		349		40
Income Taxes																	80	[5]	127	[5]	16	[5]
Deferred income taxes and investment tax credits																	136	[1]	218	[1]	51	[1]
Net Income Attributable to PPL Shareowners																	177		221		26
Cash Flow [Abstract]
Expenditures for long-lived assets																	768		465		152
Balance Sheet Data
Assets	10,670								10,229								10,670		10,229
Kentucky Regulated [Member] | Utility Service [Member]
Income Statement Data
Revenues from external customers																	2,759	[6]	2,793	[6]	493	[6]
United Kingdom Regulated [Member]
Income Statement Data
Revenues from external customers																	2,336		1,653		761
Depreciation																	279		218		117
Amortization																	15	[3]	83	[3]	13	[3]
Interest Income																	3		4		2
Interest Expenses																	421		391		135
Income from Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes																	953		358		261
Income Taxes																	150	[5]	33	[5]
Deferred income taxes and investment tax credits																	26	[1]	(39)	[1]	17	[1]
Net Income Attributable to PPL Shareowners																	803		325		261
Cash Flow [Abstract]
Expenditures for long-lived assets																	1,016		862		281
Balance Sheet Data
Assets	14,073								13,364								14,073		13,364
United Kingdom Regulated [Member] | Utility Service [Member]
Income Statement Data
Revenues from external customers																	2,289	[6]	1,618	[6]	727	[6]
United Kingdom Regulated [Member] | Energy Related Businesses [Member]
Income Statement Data
Revenues from external customers																	47		35		34
Pennsylvania Regulated [Member]
Income Statement Data
Intersegment electric revenues																	3		11		7
Depreciation																	160		146		136
Amortization																	18	[3]	7	[3]	(22)	[3]
Interest Income																	1		1		4
Interest Expenses																	99		98		99
Income from Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes																	204		257		192
Income Taxes																	68	[5]	68	[5]	57	[5]
Deferred income taxes and investment tax credits																	114	[1]	106	[1]	198	[1]
Net Income Attributable to PPL Shareowners																	132		173		115
Cash Flow [Abstract]
Expenditures for long-lived assets																	633		490		411
Balance Sheet Data
Assets	6,023								5,610								6,023		5,610
Pennsylvania Regulated [Member] | Utility Service [Member]
Income Statement Data
Revenues from external customers																	1,760	[6]	1,881	[6]	2,448	[6]
Supply [Member]
Income Statement Data
Revenues from external customers																	5,431		6,410		4,819
Intersegment electric revenues																	79	[7]	26	[7]	320	[7]
Depreciation																	315		262		254
Amortization																	126	[3]	137	[3]	148	[3]
Unrealized (gains) losses on derivatives, and other hedging activities																	27	[4]	(312)	[4]	541	[4]
Interest Income																	1		2		2
Interest Expenses																	222		192		224
Income from Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes																	662	[4]	1,237	[4]	860	[4]
Income Taxes																	247	[5]	463	[5]	228	[5]
Deferred income taxes and investment tax credits																	150	[1]	299	[1]	(15)	[1]
Net Income Attributable to PPL Shareowners																	414	[4]	776	[4]	612	[4]
Cash Flow [Abstract]
Expenditures for long-lived assets																	736		739		795
Balance Sheet Data
Assets	12,868								13,445								12,868		13,445
Supply [Member] | Energy [Member]
Income Statement Data
Revenues from external customers																	4,970	[4]	5,938	[4]	4,444	[4]
Supply [Member] | Energy Related Businesses [Member]
Income Statement Data
Revenues from external customers																	461		472		375
Corporate And Other [Member]
Income Statement Data
Amortization																					74	[3]
Interest Expenses																					80
Income from Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes																					(114)
Income Taxes																					(38)	[5]
Net Income Attributable to PPL Shareowners																					(76)
PPL Energy Supply LLC [Member]
Income Statement Data
Depreciation																	285		244		236
Amortization																	119		137		160
Unrealized (gains) losses on derivatives, and other hedging activities																	(41)		(283)		536
Interest Expenses																	168		174		208
Income from Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes																	738		1,212		881
Income Taxes																	263		445		261
Net Income Attributable to PPL Shareowners																	474		768		861
Balance Sheet Data
Assets	$ 12,375								$ 13,179								$ 12,375		$ 13,179

[1] Represents a non-cash expense item that is also included in “Income Taxes.”

[2] Quarterly results can vary depending on, among other things, weather and the forward pricing of power. Accordingly, comparisons among quarters of a year may not be indicative of overall trends and changes in operations.

[3] Represents non-cash expense items that include amortization of nuclear fuel, regulatory assets, debt discounts and premiums, debt issuance costs, emission allowances and RECs.

[4] Includes unrealized gains and losses from economic activity. See Note 19 for additional information.

[5] Represents both current and deferred income taxes, including investment tax credits.

[6] See Note 1 for additional information on Utility Revenue.

[7] See "PLR Contracts/Purchase of Accounts Receivable" and "NUG Purchases" in Note 16 for a discussion of the basis of accounting between reportable segments.