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Contingencies And Commitments (Guarantees) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified | 9 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2013
Consumers Energy Company [Member] |  |
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items] |  |
Guarantee Description | Indemnity obligations and other guarantees |
Expiration Date | Various through September 2029 |
Maximum obligation | $ 30 |
Carrying Amount | 1 |
Guarantees [Member] |  |
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items] |  |
Guarantee Description | Guarantees |
Expiration Date | Various through March 2021 |
Maximum obligation | 57 |
Indemnity Obligations From Asset Sales And Other Agreements [Member] |  |
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items] |  |
Guarantee Description | Indemnity obligations from asset sales and other agreements |
Expiration Date | Various through September 2029 |
Maximum obligation | 476 | [1]
Carrying Amount | $ 16 |
[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 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 Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 460 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6851643&loc=d3e12069-110248 + 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 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 Describes how and under what circumstances or in connection with which transaction the guarantee or each group of similar guarantees was given and the objective of the guarantee. + 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 + 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 + Details
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