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Asset Impairment Expense (Narrative) (Details) $ in Millions		2 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended	8 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
		Feb. 28, 2017 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Aug. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) project	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015 project
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets Held-for-use								$ 537	$ 1,096	$ 285
Other Asset Impairment Charges								537	1,096	285
Laurel Mountain [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets Held-for-use								121	0	0
Kazakhstan Hydro [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets to be Disposed of								92	0	0
Kazakhstan [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets to be Disposed of								94	0	0
Buffalo Gap I
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets Held-for-use								0	77	0
DPL Subsidiary [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets Held-for-use								175	859	0
buffalo gap II [Member] [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets Held-for-use								0	159	0
Kilroot [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets Held-for-use								37	0	121
UK Wind (Newfield) [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets Held-for-use								0		37
buffalo gap III [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets Held-for-use								0	0	116
UK Wind Development Projects [Domain]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets Held-for-use									$ 0	37
Assets, fair value										1
Assets carrying amount										38
number of projects no longer being pursued | project									2
number of impaired projects | project												4
Disposal Group, Held-for-sale, Not Discontinued Operations [Member] | Kazakhstan Hydro [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets to be Disposed of								92
Assets carrying amount			$ 190
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Foreign Currency Translation Gains (Losses)			100
Fair Value Less Costs To Sell			$ 92
Disposal Group, Held-for-sale, Not Discontinued Operations [Member] | Kazakhstan [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets to be Disposed of								94
Assets carrying amount											$ 171
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Foreign Currency Translation Gains (Losses)								92
Fair Value Less Costs To Sell											$ 29
Disposal Group, Held-for-sale, Not Discontinued Operations [Member] | DPL Peaking Generation [Domain]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets to be Disposed of								109
Assets carrying amount								346
Fair Value Less Costs To Sell								237
Disposal Group, Held-for-sale, Not Discontinued Operations [Member] | DPL Subsidiary [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets to be Disposed of								66
Disposal Group, Held-for-sale, Not Discontinued Operations [Member] | Stuart Station [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Assets, fair value								3
Disposal Group, Held-for-sale, Not Discontinued Operations [Member] | Killen Station [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Assets, fair value								8
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Parent Company [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets Held-for-use				$ 49			$ 23
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Laurel Mountain [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets Held-for-use								121
Assets, fair value								33
Other Asset Impairment Charges	[1]							121
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Buffalo Gap I
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets Held-for-use									$ 77
Assets, fair value									36
Other Asset Impairment Charges	[1]					$ 77
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Miami Fort [Domain]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Assets, fair value									36
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Zimmer Station [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Assets, fair value									24
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | DPL Peaking Generation [Domain]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Assets, fair value					$ 5				2
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | DPL Subsidiary [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets Held-for-use					235				624
Other Asset Impairment Charges	[1]	$ 66			235				624
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | buffalo gap II [Member] [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets Held-for-use									159
Assets, fair value									92
Other Asset Impairment Charges	[1]			$ 159
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Stuart Station [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Assets, fair value									57
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Killen Station [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Assets, fair value					$ 84				43
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Kilroot [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets Held-for-use								37		121
Assets, fair value								20		70
Other Asset Impairment Charges	[1]							$ 37
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Conesville DP&L
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Assets, fair value									$ 1
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | buffalo gap III [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets Held-for-use										116
Assets, fair value										$ 118
[1] See Note 19—Asset Impairment Expense for further information.

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