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Contingencies (Loss Contingencies) (Details) $ in Millions | 12 Months Ended |
--- | --- | ---
Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) agreement | Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Lower limit of expiration dates of guarantees (less than one year) |  | 1 year |  |  |
Amount (in millions) |  | $ 789 |  |  |
Obligations made by the Parent Company associated with non-recourse debt |  | $ 0 |  |  |
Upper limit of expiration dates of guarantees (more than 18 years) |  | 18 years |  |  |
Number of Agreements | agreement |  | 43 |  |  |
Litigation Contingencies |  |  |  |  |
Regulatory Liabilities |  | $ 1,901 | $ 1,617 |  |
Reversal Of Legal Contingency |  | 0 | 0 | $ 18 |
Financial Standby Letter of Credit [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Amount (in millions) |  | $ 3 |  |  |
Number of Agreements | agreement |  | 1 |  |  |
Guarantees [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Amount (in millions) |  | $ 508 |  |  |
Number of Agreements | agreement |  | 18 |  |  |
Standby Letters of Credit [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Amount (in millions) |  | $ 6 |  |  |
Number of Agreements | agreement |  | 15 |  |  |
Indemnification Agreement [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Amount (in millions) | [1] | $ 27 |  |  |
Number of Agreements | agreement | [1] | 1 |  |  |
Environmental |  |  |  |  |
Environmental Contingencies |  |  |  |  |
Liability recorded for projected environmental remediation costs |  | $ 12 | 10 |  |
Litigation Contingencies |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingency, Estimate of Possible Loss |  | 19 |  |  |
Litigation |  |  |  |  |
Litigation Contingencies |  |  |  |  |
Aggregate reserves for claims deemed both probable and reasonably estimable |  | $ 179 | 179 |  |
Parent Company |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Letter Of Credit Fee Range Maximum |  | 2.50% |  |  |
Letter Of Credit Fee Range Minimum |  | 0.20% |  |  |
Eletropaulo [Domain] |  |  |  |  |
Litigation Contingencies |  |  |  |  |
Regulatory Liabilities |  |  |  |  | $ 269
Reversal Of Legal Contingency |  |  | 161 |  |
Regulated Revenue [Member] | Eletropaulo [Domain] |  |  |  |  |
Litigation Contingencies |  |  |  |  |
Reversal Of Legal Contingency |  |  | 97 |  |
Interest Expense | Eletropaulo [Domain] |  |  |  |  |
Litigation Contingencies |  |  |  |  |
Reversal Of Legal Contingency |  |  | $ 64 |  |
Secured Debt [Member] | Financial Standby Letter of Credit [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Amount (in millions) |  | $ 245 |  |  |
Unsecured Debt [Member] | Financial Standby Letter of Credit [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Number of Agreements | agreement |  | 8 |  |  |
Minimum [Member] | Standby Letters of Credit [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Litigation Contingencies |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingency, Estimate of Possible Loss |  |  |  |  |
Minimum [Member] | Indemnification Agreement [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Litigation Contingencies |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingency, Estimate of Possible Loss |  |  |  |  |
Minimum [Member] | Guarantee Obligations [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Litigation Contingencies |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingency, Estimate of Possible Loss |  | 8 |  |  |
Minimum [Member] | Litigation |  |  |  |  |
Litigation Contingencies |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingency, Estimate of Possible Loss |  | 1,500 |  |  |
Minimum [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Financial Standby Letter of Credit [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Litigation Contingencies |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingency, Estimate of Possible Loss |  | 1 |  |  |
Minimum [Member] | Unsecured Debt [Member] | Financial Standby Letter of Credit [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Litigation Contingencies |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingency, Estimate of Possible Loss |  | 2 |  |  |
Maximum [Member] | Standby Letters of Credit [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Litigation Contingencies |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingency, Estimate of Possible Loss |  | 3 |  |  |
Maximum [Member] | Indemnification Agreement [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Litigation Contingencies |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingency, Estimate of Possible Loss |  | 27 |  |  |
Maximum [Member] | Guarantee Obligations [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Litigation Contingencies |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingency, Estimate of Possible Loss |  | 58 |  |  |
Maximum [Member] | Litigation |  |  |  |  |
Litigation Contingencies |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingency, Estimate of Possible Loss |  | 1,800 |  |  |
Maximum [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Financial Standby Letter of Credit [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Litigation Contingencies |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingency, Estimate of Possible Loss |  | 1 |  |  |
Maximum [Member] | Unsecured Debt [Member] | Financial Standby Letter of Credit [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Litigation Contingencies |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingency, Estimate of Possible Loss |  | $ 73 |  |  |
[1] | (1) Excludes normal and customary representations and warranties in agreements for the sale of assets (including ownership in associated legal entities) where the associated risk is considered to be nominal.

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