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Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits - Schedule of Fair Value of Pension Plan Assets (Detail) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Fair value of pension and other postretirement plans' assets $ 11,833us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets $ 10,421us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
Equity Securities [Member]    
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Fair value of pension and other postretirement plans' assets 3,969us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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3,852us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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= us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesMember
Equity Securities [Member] | Equity Funds [Member]    
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Fair value of pension and other postretirement plans' assets 2,463us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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Equity Securities [Member] | Hedge Funds, Equity Long (Short) [Member]    
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Fair value of pension and other postretirement plans' assets 963us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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Equity Securities [Member] | Private Equity Funds [Member]    
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Fair value of pension and other postretirement plans' assets 543us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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Fixed Income Securities [Member]    
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Fair value of pension and other postretirement plans' assets 5,311us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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4,271us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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= us-gaap_FixedIncomeSecuritiesMember
Fixed Income Securities [Member] | Intermediate and Long Duration Government Credit [Member]    
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Fair value of pension and other postretirement plans' assets 4,898us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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Fixed Income Securities [Member] | Other Funds [Member]    
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Fair value of pension and other postretirement plans' assets 413us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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Other Investments [Member]    
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Fair value of pension and other postretirement plans' assets 2,553us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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2,298us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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= us-gaap_OtherInvestmentsMember
Other Investments [Member] | Other Funds [Member]    
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Fair value of pension and other postretirement plans' assets 516us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_OtherInvestmentsMember
Other Investments [Member] | Real Estate Funds [Member]    
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Fair value of pension and other postretirement plans' assets 629us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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= us-gaap_OtherInvestmentsMember
Other Investments [Member] | Discretionary and Systematic Macro Hedge Funds [Member]    
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Fair value of pension and other postretirement plans' assets 1,408us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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Level 1 [Member]    
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Fair value of pension and other postretirement plans' assets 4,446us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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3,602us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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Level 1 [Member] | Equity Securities [Member]    
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Fair value of pension and other postretirement plans' assets 1,156us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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Level 1 [Member] | Equity Securities [Member] | Equity Funds [Member]    
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Fair value of pension and other postretirement plans' assets 1,156us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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= us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesMember
Level 1 [Member] | Fixed Income Securities [Member]    
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Fair value of pension and other postretirement plans' assets 2,998us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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Level 1 [Member] | Fixed Income Securities [Member] | Intermediate and Long Duration Government Credit [Member]    
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Fair value of pension and other postretirement plans' assets 2,998us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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Level 1 [Member] | Other Investments [Member]    
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Fair value of pension and other postretirement plans' assets 292us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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Level 1 [Member] | Other Investments [Member] | Other Funds [Member]    
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Fair value of pension and other postretirement plans' assets 140us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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Level 1 [Member] | Other Investments [Member] | Real Estate Funds [Member]    
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Fair value of pension and other postretirement plans' assets 152us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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Level 2 [Member]    
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Fair value of pension and other postretirement plans' assets 3,462us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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3,398us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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Level 2 [Member] | Equity Securities [Member]    
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Fair value of pension and other postretirement plans' assets 1,131us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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Level 2 [Member] | Equity Securities [Member] | Equity Funds [Member]    
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Fair value of pension and other postretirement plans' assets 1,131us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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Level 2 [Member] | Fixed Income Securities [Member]    
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Fair value of pension and other postretirement plans' assets 2,313us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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Level 2 [Member] | Fixed Income Securities [Member] | Intermediate and Long Duration Government Credit [Member]    
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Fair value of pension and other postretirement plans' assets 1,900us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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Level 2 [Member] | Fixed Income Securities [Member] | Other Funds [Member]    
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Fair value of pension and other postretirement plans' assets 413us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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Level 2 [Member] | Other Investments [Member]    
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Fair value of pension and other postretirement plans' assets 18us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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Level 2 [Member] | Other Investments [Member] | Real Estate Funds [Member]    
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Fair value of pension and other postretirement plans' assets 18us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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Level 3 [Member]    
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Fair value of pension and other postretirement plans' assets 3,925us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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Level 3 [Member] | Equity Securities [Member]    
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Fair value of pension and other postretirement plans' assets 1,682us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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Level 3 [Member] | Equity Securities [Member] | Equity Funds [Member]    
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Fair value of pension and other postretirement plans' assets 176us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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Level 3 [Member] | Equity Securities [Member] | Hedge Funds, Equity Long (Short) [Member]    
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Fair value of pension and other postretirement plans' assets 963us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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Level 3 [Member] | Equity Securities [Member] | Private Equity Funds [Member]    
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Fair value of pension and other postretirement plans' assets 543us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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Level 3 [Member] | Other Investments [Member]    
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Fair value of pension and other postretirement plans' assets 2,243us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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Level 3 [Member] | Other Investments [Member] | Other Funds [Member]    
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Fair value of pension and other postretirement plans' assets 376us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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Level 3 [Member] | Other Investments [Member] | Real Estate Funds [Member]    
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Fair value of pension and other postretirement plans' assets 459us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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Level 3 [Member] | Other Investments [Member] | Discretionary and Systematic Macro Hedge Funds [Member]    
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Fair value of pension and other postretirement plans' assets $ 1,408us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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