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Regulatory Assets and Liabilities (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified | Dec. 31, 2011 integer | Dec. 31, 2010
--- | --- | ---
Regulatory Assets [Line Items] |  |
Total Current Regulatory Assets | $ 391 | $ 212
Total Non Current Regulatory Assets | 847 | 470
Total Regulatory Assets | 1,238 | 682
Other noncurrent regulatory assets that did not earn a rate of return | 37 | 14
Number of installments through which the Brazil tariff recoveries are made | 24 |
Other current regulatory assets that did not earn a rate of return | 12 | 0
Regulatory Liabilities [Line Items] |  |
Total Current Regulatory Liabilities | 733 | 284
Total Non Current Regulatory Liabilities | 1,279 | 1,132
Total Regulatory Liabilities | 2,012 | 1,416
Latin America Regulatory Liability [Member] |  |
Regulatory Liabilities [Line Items] |  |
Total Regulatory Liabilities | 1,333 | 890
North America Regulatory Liability [Member] |  |
Regulatory Liabilities [Line Items] |  |
Total Regulatory Liabilities | 679 | 526
Efficiency Program Costs [Member] |  |
Regulatory Liabilities [Line Items] |  |
Total Current Regulatory Liabilities | 29 | 58
Total Non Current Regulatory Liabilities | 44 | 54
Brazil Tariff Recoveries Energy Purchases [Member] |  |
Regulatory Liabilities [Line Items] |  |
Total Current Regulatory Liabilities | 305 | 118
Total Non Current Regulatory Liabilities | 76 | 69
Brazil Tariff Recoveries Transmission Costs Regulatory Fees And Other [Member] |  |
Regulatory Liabilities [Line Items] |  |
Total Current Regulatory Liabilities | 172 | 71
Total Non Current Regulatory Liabilities | 64 | 57
Asset Retirement Obligation Costs Member |  |
Regulatory Liabilities [Line Items] |  |
Total Non Current Regulatory Liabilities | 649 | 509
Brazil Special Obligations [Member] |  |
Regulatory Liabilities [Line Items] |  |
Total Non Current Regulatory Liabilities | 422 | 435
Other Regulatory Liabilities [Member] |  |
Regulatory Liabilities [Line Items] |  |
Total Current Regulatory Liabilities | 37 | 37
Total Non Current Regulatory Liabilities | 24 | 8
Brazil Tariff Reset Adjustment |  |
Regulatory Liabilities [Line Items] |  |
Total Current Regulatory Liabilities | 190 | 0
Latin America Regulatory Asset [Member] |  |
Regulatory Assets [Line Items] |  |
Total Regulatory Assets | 546 | 265
North America Regulatory Asset [Member] |  |
Regulatory Assets [Line Items] |  |
Total Regulatory Assets | 692 | 417
Brazil Tariff Recoveries Energy Purchases [Member] |  |
Regulatory Assets [Line Items] |  |
Total Current Regulatory Assets | 79 | 62
Total Non Current Regulatory Assets | 84 | 18
Brazil Tariff Recoveries Transmission Costs Regulatory Fees And Other [Member] |  |
Regulatory Assets [Line Items] |  |
Total Current Regulatory Assets | 185 | 82
Total Non Current Regulatory Assets | 86 | 32
El Salvador Tariff Recoveries [Member] |  |
Regulatory Assets [Line Items] |  |
Total Current Regulatory Assets | 108 | 67
Defined Benefit Pension Obligations at IPL |  |
Regulatory Assets [Line Items] |  |
Total Non Current Regulatory Assets | 399 | 235
Income Taxes Recoverable From Customers [Member] |  |
Regulatory Assets [Line Items] |  |
Total Non Current Regulatory Assets | 76 | 66
Other Regulatory Assets [Member] |  |
Regulatory Assets [Line Items] |  |
Total Current Regulatory Assets | 19 | 1
Total Non Current Regulatory Assets | 122 | 39
Deferred Midwest Independent Service Operator Costs [Member] |  |
Regulatory Assets [Line Items] |  |
Total Non Current Regulatory Assets | $ 80 | $ 80

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- Definition The number of installments in which Brazil tariff recoveries are made through the Annual Tariff Adjustment ("IRT") process + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Remaining balance of current regulatory assets for which no return on investment during recovery is provided. In some cases, a regulator may permit an enterprise to include a cost that would be charged to expense by an unregulated enterprise as an allowable cost over a period of time by amortizing that cost for rate-making purposes, but the regulator does not include the unrecovered amount in the rate base. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Remaining balance of noncurrent regulatory assets for which no return on investment during recovery is provided. In some cases, a regulator may permit an enterprise to include a cost that would be charged to expense by an unregulated enterprise as an allowable cost over a period of time by amortizing that cost for rate-making purposes, but the regulator does not include the unrecovered amount in the rate base + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition The amount for the individual regulatory asset as itemized in a table of regulatory assets as of the end of the period. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 71 -Paragraph 9, 10 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 980 -SubTopic 340 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6499975&loc=d3e44250-110382 + Details
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- Definition Carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of capitalized costs of regulated entities that are expected to be recovered through revenue sources within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer. Such costs are capitalized if they meet both of the following criteria: a. It is probable that future revenue in an amount at least equal to the capitalized cost will result from inclusion of that cost in allowable costs for rate-making purposes. b. Based on available evidence, the future revenue will be provided to permit recovery of the previously incurred cost rather than to provide for expected levels of similar future costs. If the revenue will be provided through an automatic rate-adjustment clause, this criterion requires that the regulator's intent clearly be to permit recovery of the previously incurred cost. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 71 -Paragraph 9, 10 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 980 -SubTopic 340 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6499975&loc=d3e44250-110382 + Details
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- Definition Carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of capitalized costs of regulated entities that are not expected to be recovered through revenue sources within one year or the normal operating cycle if longer. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 71 -Paragraph 9, 10 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 980 -SubTopic 340 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6499975&loc=d3e44250-110382 + Details
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- Definition The amount for the individual regulatory liability as itemized in a table of regulatory liabilities as of the end of the period. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 71 -Paragraph 11 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. + Details
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- Definition The amount for the individual regulatory current liability as itemized in a table of regulatory current liabilities as of the end of the period. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 71 -Paragraph 11 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. + Details
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- Definition The amount for the individual regulatory noncurrent liability as itemized in a table of regulatory noncurrent liabilities as of the end of the period. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 71 -Paragraph 11 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.24) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 + Details
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