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Business and Organization
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2013
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Business and Organization
1. BUSINESS AND ORGANIZATION:

Quanta Services, Inc. (Quanta) is a leading provider of specialty contracting services, offering infrastructure solutions primarily to the electric power and oil and gas industries in North America and in select international markets. Effective December 31, 2013, Quanta’s Natural Gas and Pipeline Infrastructure Services segment was renamed the Oil and Gas Infrastructure Services segment to better align with this segment’s service offerings and end-customer markets. No changes have been made to this segment’s financial results. Quanta reports its results under three reportable segments: (1) Electric Power Infrastructure Services, (2) Oil and Gas Infrastructure Services and (3) Fiber Optic Licensing and Other.

Electric Power Infrastructure Services Segment

The Electric Power Infrastructure Services segment provides comprehensive network solutions to customers in the electric power industry. Services performed by the Electric Power Infrastructure Services segment generally include the design, installation, upgrade, repair and maintenance of electric power transmission and distribution infrastructure and substation facilities along with other engineering and technical services. This segment also provides emergency restoration services, including the repair of infrastructure damaged by inclement weather, the energized installation, maintenance and upgrade of electric power infrastructure utilizing unique bare hand and hot stick methods and Quanta’s proprietary robotic arm technologies, and the installation of “smart grid” technologies on electric power networks. In addition, this segment designs, installs and maintains renewable energy generation facilities, consisting of solar, wind and certain types of natural gas generation facilities, and related switchyards and transmission infrastructure to transport power to demand centers. To a lesser extent, this segment provides services such as the design, installation, maintenance and repair of commercial and industrial wiring, installation of traffic networks and the installation of cable and control systems for light rail lines.

Oil and Gas Infrastructure Services Segment

The Oil and Gas Infrastructure Services segment provides comprehensive network solutions to customers involved in the development and transportation of natural gas, oil and other pipeline products. Services performed by the Oil and Gas Infrastructure Services segment generally include the design, installation, repair and maintenance of pipeline transmission and distribution systems, gathering systems, production systems and compressor and pump stations, as well as related trenching, directional boring and automatic welding services. In addition, this segment’s services include pipeline protection, integrity testing, rehabilitation and replacement, fabrication of pipeline support systems and related structures and facilities, and infrastructure services for the offshore and inland water energy markets. To a lesser extent, this segment designs, installs and maintains airport fueling systems as well as water and sewer infrastructure.

Fiber Optic Licensing and Other Segment

The Fiber Optic Licensing and Other segment designs, procures, constructs, maintains and owns fiber optic telecommunications infrastructure in select markets and licenses the right to use these point-to-point fiber optic telecommunications facilities to its customers pursuant to licensing agreements, typically with terms from five to twenty-five years, inclusive of certain renewal options. Under these agreements, customers are provided the right to use a portion of the capacity of a fiber optic network, with the network owned and maintained by Quanta. Additionally, the Fiber Optic Licensing and Other segment is expanding into lit services, with Quanta providing network management services to customers as well as owning the electronic equipment necessary to make the fiber optic network operational. This segment services customers in multiple institutional sectors, including communications carriers as well as education, financial services, healthcare and other business enterprises with high bandwidth telecommunication needs. The telecommunication services provided through this segment are subject to regulation by the Federal Communications Commission and certain state public utility commissions. The Fiber Optic Licensing and Other segment also provides various telecommunication infrastructure services on a limited basis primarily to Quanta’s customers in the electric power industry.

Acquisitions

During 2013, Quanta acquired six businesses, which included electric power infrastructure services companies and oil and gas infrastructure services companies based in the U.S., Canada and Australia. During the first and second quarters of 2012, Quanta acquired four businesses, which included one electric power infrastructure services company based in Canada, two electric power infrastructure services companies based in the United States and one oil and gas infrastructure services company based in the United States. During the third and fourth quarters of 2011, Quanta acquired five businesses, which included three electric power infrastructure services companies based in Canada, one electric power infrastructure services company based in the United States and one oil and gas infrastructure services company based in Australia.

Dispositions

On December 3, 2012, Quanta sold substantially all of its domestic telecommunications infrastructure services operations and related subsidiaries for net proceeds of approximately $265.0 million. Accordingly, Quanta has presented the results of operations, financial position and cash flows of such telecommunications subsidiaries as discontinued operations for all applicable periods presented in the accompanying consolidated financial statements. See Note 4 for more information.