Common Stock	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
Common Stock [Abstract]
Schedule of Stock by Class [Table Text Block]	COMMON STOCK Common Stock In March 2010, the Company contributed $100 million of DTE Energy common stock to the DTE Energy Company Affiliates Employee Benefit Plans Master Trust. The common stock was contributed over four business days from March 26, 2010 through March 31, 2010 and was valued using the closing market prices of DTE Energy common stock on each of those days in accordance with fair value measurement and accounting requirements. Under the DTE Energy Company Long-Term Incentive Plan, the Company grants non-vested stock awards to key employees, primarily management. As a result of a stock award, a settlement of an award of performance shares, or by exercise of a participant’s stock option, the Company may deliver common stock from the Company’s authorized but unissued common stock and/or from outstanding common stock acquired by or on behalf of the Company in the name of the participant. Dividends Certain of the Company’s credit facilities contain a provision requiring the Company to maintain a total funded debt to capitalization ratio, as defined in the agreements, of no more than 0.65 to 1, which has the effect of limiting the amount of dividends the Company can pay in order to maintain compliance with this provision. See Note 17 for a definition of this ratio. The effect of this provision as of December 31, 2011 and December 31, 2010 was to restrict the payment of approximately $128 million and $46 million, respectively, of total retained earnings of approximately $3.75 billion and $3.4 billion, respectively. There are no other effective limitations with respect to the Company’s ability to pay dividends.

Common Stock

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Schedule of Stock by Class [Table Text Block]

COMMON STOCK

Common Stock

In March 2010, the Company contributed $100 million of DTE Energy common stock to the DTE Energy Company Affiliates Employee Benefit Plans Master Trust. The common stock was contributed over four business days from March 26, 2010 through March 31, 2010 and was valued using the closing market prices of DTE Energy common stock on each of those days in accordance with fair value measurement and accounting requirements.

Under the DTE Energy Company Long-Term Incentive Plan, the Company grants non-vested stock awards to key employees, primarily management. As a result of a stock award, a settlement of an award of performance shares, or by exercise of a participant’s stock option, the Company may deliver common stock from the Company’s authorized but unissued common stock and/or from outstanding common stock acquired by or on behalf of the Company in the name of the participant.

Dividends

Certain of the Company’s credit facilities contain a provision requiring the Company to maintain a total funded debt to capitalization ratio, as defined in the agreements, of no more than 0.65 to 1, which has the effect of limiting the amount of dividends the Company can pay in order to maintain compliance with this provision. See Note 17 for a definition of this ratio. The effect of this provision as of December 31, 2011 and December 31, 2010 was to restrict the payment of approximately $128 million and $46 million, respectively, of total retained earnings of approximately $3.75 billion and $3.4 billion, respectively. There are no other effective limitations with respect to the Company’s ability to pay dividends.