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Commitments and Contingencies, Environmental Contingencies - Unrecorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation (Details) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
1 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Mar. 31, 2015
MW
Apr. 30, 2014
Issue
Cross-State Air Pollution Rule      
Environmental Requirements [Abstract]      
Number of issues on which the D.C. Circuit overturned the CSAPR     2sps_NumberofissuesonwhichtheD.C.CircuitoverturnedtheCSAPR
/ sps_EnvironmentalRegulationAxis
= sps_CrossStateAirPollutionRuleMember
Generating capacity (in MW)   700sps_GeneratingCapacity
/ sps_EnvironmentalRegulationAxis
= sps_CrossStateAirPollutionRuleMember
 
Regional Haze Rules [Member]      
Environmental Requirements [Abstract]      
Number of years to comply with proposed regulation 5 years    
Capital Commitments | Cross-State Air Pollution Rule      
Environmental Requirements [Abstract]      
Liability for estimated cost to comply with regulation   7sps_LiabilityForEstimatedCostToComplyWithRegulation
/ sps_EnvironmentalRegulationAxis
= sps_CrossStateAirPollutionRuleMember
/ us-gaap_UnrecordedUnconditionalPurchaseObligationByCategoryOfItemPurchasedAxis
= us-gaap_CapitalAdditionsMember
 
Capital Commitments | Regional Haze Rules [Member]      
Environmental Requirements [Abstract]      
Liability for estimated cost to comply with regulation   600sps_LiabilityForEstimatedCostToComplyWithRegulation
/ sps_EnvironmentalRegulationAxis
= sps_RegionalHazeRulesMember
/ us-gaap_UnrecordedUnconditionalPurchaseObligationByCategoryOfItemPurchasedAxis
= us-gaap_CapitalAdditionsMember
 
Estimated annual operating cost to comply with proposed regulation   10.4sps_Estimatedannualoperatingcosttocomplywithproposedregulation
/ sps_EnvironmentalRegulationAxis
= sps_RegionalHazeRulesMember
/ us-gaap_UnrecordedUnconditionalPurchaseObligationByCategoryOfItemPurchasedAxis
= us-gaap_CapitalAdditionsMember