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Contingencies And Commitments (Guarantees) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2012 MW | Dec. 31, 2011 | Dec. 31, 2010
Consumers Energy Company [Member] |  |  |  |
Expiration Date | Various through September 2029 |  |  |
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted | $ 30 |  |  |
Carrying Amount | 1 |  |  |
Guarantees [Member] |  |  |  |
Expiration Date | Various through March 2021 |  |  |
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted | 60 |  |  |
Carrying Amount | 1 |  |  |
Indemnity Obligations From Asset Sales And Other Agreements [Member] |  |  |  |
Expiration Date | Various through September 2029 | [1] |  |
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted | 512 | [1] |  |
Carrying Amount | 15 | [1] |  |
Non-Related Parties [Member] |  |  |  |
Purchase Obligations Total | 12,326 |  |  |
Purchase Obligations Due in Year One | 1,878 |  |  |
Purchase Obligations Due in Year Two | 1,084 |  |  |
Purchase Obligations Due in Year Three | 934 |  |  |
Purchase Obligations Due in Year Four | 869 |  |  |
Purchase Obligations Due in Year Five | 853 |  |  |
Purchase Obligations Due After Year Five | 6,708 |  |  |
Non-Related Parties [Member] | Consumers Energy Company [Member] |  |  |  |
Purchase Obligations Total | 12,326 |  |  |
Purchase Obligations Due in Year One | 1,878 |  |  |
Purchase Obligations Due in Year Two | 1,084 |  |  |
Purchase Obligations Due in Year Three | 934 |  |  |
Purchase Obligations Due in Year Four | 869 |  |  |
Purchase Obligations Due in Year Five | 853 |  |  |
Purchase Obligations Due After Year Five | 6,708 |  |  |
Related Parties [Member] |  |  |  |
Purchase Obligations Total | 1,469 |  |  |
Purchase Obligations Due in Year One | 89 |  |  |
Purchase Obligations Due in Year Two | 91 |  |  |
Purchase Obligations Due in Year Three | 91 |  |  |
Purchase Obligations Due in Year Four | 93 |  |  |
Purchase Obligations Due in Year Five | 95 |  |  |
Purchase Obligations Due After Year Five | 1,010 |  |  |
Related Parties [Member] | Consumers Energy Company [Member] |  |  |  |
Purchase Obligations Total | 1,469 |  |  |
Purchase Obligations Due in Year One | 89 |  |  |
Purchase Obligations Due in Year Two | 91 |  |  |
Purchase Obligations Due in Year Three | 91 |  |  |
Purchase Obligations Due in Year Four | 93 |  |  |
Purchase Obligations Due in Year Five | 95 |  |  |
Purchase Obligations Due After Year Five | 1,010 |  |  |
MCV PPA [Member] | Consumers Energy Company [Member] |  |  |  |
Term of Unrecorded Unconditional Purchase Obligations | 35 years |  |  |
Unrecorded Unconditional Purchase Obligations, Minimum Quantity Required | 1,240 |  |  |
Unrecorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation Capacity Charge Per Mwh | 10.14 |  |  |
Unrecorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation, Annual Contribution to Renewable Resources Program By Counterparty | 5 |  |  |
Unrecorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation, Contract Extension Period | 5 years |  |  |
Unrecorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation, Purchases | 319 |  | 292 | 285
Unrecorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation, Estimated Average Capacity and Energy Charges | 250 |  |  |
Palisades PPA [Member] | Consumers Energy Company [Member] |  |  |  |
Unrecorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation, Purchases | 331 |  | 311 | 286
Unrecorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation, Estimated Average Capacity and Energy Charges | $ 360 |  |  |
Unrecorded Unconditional Purchase Obligations, Maximum Quantity | 798 |  |  |
[1] | The majority of this amount arises from stock and asset sale agreements under which CMS Energy or a subsidiary of CMS Energy, other than Consumers, indemnified the purchaser for losses resulting from various matters, including claims related to tax disputes, claims related to power purchase agreements, and defects in title to the assets or stock sold to the purchaser by CMS Energy subsidiaries. Except for items described elsewhere in this Note, CMS Energy believes the likelihood of material loss to be remote for the indemnity obligations not recorded as liabilities

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- Definition The price per MWh of available capacity that must be paid, in connection with an unconditional purchase obligation that has not been recognized for financial reporting purposes. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Maximum number of power units that may be acquired, in connection with an unconditional purchase obligation that has not been recognized for financial reporting purposes. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition The current carrying amount of the liability for the freestanding or embedded guarantor's obligations under the guarantee or each group of similar guarantees. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 5 -Paragraph 9 -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 460 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6851643&loc=d3e12069-110248 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name FASB Interpretation (FIN) -Number 45 -Paragraph 13 -Subparagraph c -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 Maximum potential amount of future payments (undiscounted) the guarantor could be required to make under the guarantee or each group of similar guarantees before reduction for potential recoveries under recourse or collateralization provisions. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name FASB Interpretation (FIN) -Number 45 -Paragraph 13 -Subparagraph b -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 460 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (b)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6851643&loc=d3e12069-110248 + Details
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- Definition Describe the approximate term of the guarantee or each group of similar guarantees. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 460 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6851643&loc=d3e12069-110248 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name FASB Interpretation (FIN) -Number 45 -Paragraph 13 -Subparagraph a -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 Amount of the fixed and determinable portion of the unrecorded unconditional purchase obligation maturing in the fifth fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 440 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6394976&loc=d3e25336-109308 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 47 -Paragraph 7 -Subparagraph b -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 Amount of the fixed and determinable portion of the unrecorded unconditional purchase obligation maturing in the four fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 440 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6394976&loc=d3e25336-109308 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 47 -Paragraph 7 -Subparagraph b -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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