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Contingencies and Legal Proceedings Legal Proceedings (Details) (USD $)
 1 Months Ended 6 Months Ended 1 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 1 Months Ended 3 Months Ended 1 Months Ended
Oct. 31, 2007
Legal_actions
Mar. 31, 2015
Megawatts
Apr. 30, 2011
Agreements
Groups
Sep. 30, 2010
Mar. 31, 2010
People
Dec. 31, 2010
Years
Jun. 30, 2012
Jul. 31, 2013
Legal_actions
May 31, 2013
Aug. 31, 2011
Jun. 30, 2008
Legal_actions
Sep. 30, 2012
Nov. 30, 2009
People
Legal_actions
Dec. 31, 2011
Legal_actions
Jun. 30, 2011
Units
Megawatts
Jun. 30, 2010
Apr. 30, 2015
Legal_actions
Legal Proceedings                                  
Possible additional future costs for compliance with Clean Air Act requirements   $ 800,000,000tve_PossibleAdditionalFutureCostsForComplianceWithCleanAirActRequirements                              
Megawatts option 1   700tve_Megawatts                              
TDEC civil penalties related to Gallatin   17,000tve_TDECcivilpenaltiesrelatedtoGallatin                              
Plaintiff civil penalties related to Gallatin   37,500tve_PlaintiffcivilpenaltiesrelatedtoGallatin                              
Units Affected by Paradise Case   2tve_UnitsAffectedbyParadiseCase                              
Number of claims dismissed related to NPDES permit   7tve_NumberofclaimsdismissedrelatedtoNPDESpermit                              
Number of claims filed on Gallatin NPDES permit   8tve_NumberofclaimsfiledonGallatinNPDESpermit                              
Number of reactors a CCOLA was submitted for 2tve_NumberofreactorsaCCOLAwassubmittedfor                                
Number of units at John Sevier Fossil   4tve_NumberofunitsatJohnSevierFossil                              
General                                  
Legal Proceedings                                  
Legal loss contingency accrual   151,000,000us-gaap_LossContingencyAccrualAtCarryingValue
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_GeneralMember		                              
Loss Contingency, Range of Possible Loss, Minimum   151,000,000us-gaap_LossContingencyRangeOfPossibleLossMinimum
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_GeneralMember		                              
Loss Contingency, Range of Possible Loss, Maximum   153,000,000us-gaap_LossContingencyRangeOfPossibleLossMaximum
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_GeneralMember		                              
Environmental Agreements                                  
Legal Proceedings                                  
Number of similar environmental agreements entered into     2tve_NumberOfSimilarEnvironmentalAgreementsEnteredInto
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_EnvironmentalAgreementsMember		                            
Number of environmental agreements entered into with the EPA     1tve_NumberOfEnvironmentalAgreementsEnteredIntoWithEpa
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_EnvironmentalAgreementsMember		                            
Number of environmental agreements entered into with Alabama, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Tennessee     1tve_NumberOfEnvironmentalAgreementsEnteredIntoWithAlabamaKentuckyNorthCarolinaAndTennessee
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_EnvironmentalAgreementsMember		                            
Number of environmental agreements entered into with environmental advocacy groups     3tve_Numberenvironmentaladvocacygroupswithwhichthereisanenvironmentalagreement.
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_EnvironmentalAgreementsMember		                            
Number of units to be idled                             18tve_NumberOfUnitsToBeIdled
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_EnvironmentalAgreementsMember		    
Megawatts option 1                             2,200tve_Megawatts
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_EnvironmentalAgreementsMember		    
Megawatts option 2                             3,500tve_MegawattsOption2
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_EnvironmentalAgreementsMember		    
Amount to be invested in certain TVA environmental projects                             290,000,000tve_AmountToBeInvestedInCertainEnvironmentalProjects
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_EnvironmentalAgreementsMember		    
Amount to be provided to fund environmental projects                             60,000,000tve_AmountToBeProvidedToFundEnvironmentalProjects
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_EnvironmentalAgreementsMember		    
Amount to pay civil penalties                             10,000,000tve_AmountToPayCivilPenalties
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_EnvironmentalAgreementsMember		    
Kingston Ash Spill                                  
Legal Proceedings                                  
Number of lawsuits filed   78tve_NumberOfLawsuitsFiled
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_LegalProceedingsRelatedToKingstonAshSpillMember		                              
Number of lawsuits dismissed   15tve_NumberOfLawsuitsDismissed
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_LegalProceedingsRelatedToKingstonAshSpillMember		                              
Loss Contingency, Claims Dismissed, Number   63us-gaap_LossContingencyClaimsDismissedNumber
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_LegalProceedingsRelatedToKingstonAshSpillMember		                              
Number of active lawsuits   9us-gaap_LossContingencyPendingClaimsNumber
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_LegalProceedingsRelatedToKingstonAshSpillMember		                              
Payments for Legal Settlements   28,000,000us-gaap_PaymentsForLegalSettlements
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_LegalProceedingsRelatedToKingstonAshSpillMember		                              
Loss Contingency, Claims Settled, Number   7us-gaap_LossContingencyClaimsSettledNumber
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_LegalProceedingsRelatedToKingstonAshSpillMember		                              
Civil penalty order issued June 1, 2010                               12,000,000tve_CivilPenaltyOrderIssuedJune12010
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_LegalProceedingsRelatedToKingstonAshSpillMember		  
Amount of civil penalty order satisfied   10,000,000tve_AmountOfCivilPenaltyOrderSatisfied
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_LegalProceedingsRelatedToKingstonAshSpillMember		                              
Credit against civil penalty order   2,000,000tve_CreditAgainstCivilPenaltyOrder
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_LegalProceedingsRelatedToKingstonAshSpillMember		                              
Down payment on natural resource damages   750,000tve_DownPaymentOnNaturalResourceDamages
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_LegalProceedingsRelatedToKingstonAshSpillMember		                              
Case Involving Tennessee Valley Authority Retirement System                                  
Legal Proceedings                                  
Number of Board Members Appointed         1tve_NumberofBoardMembersAppointed
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_CaseInvolvingTennesseeValleyAuthorityRetirementSystemMember		                        
Number of participants that filed suit         8tve_NumberOfParticipantsThatFiledSuit
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_CaseInvolvingTennesseeValleyAuthorityRetirementSystemMember		                        
Number of TVARS Board members         6tve_NumberOfBoardMembers
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_CaseInvolvingTennesseeValleyAuthorityRetirementSystemMember		                        
Retirement age of eligibility for cost of living adjustment before January 1, 2010           55tve_RetirementageofeligibilityforcostoflivingadjustmentbeforeJanuary12010
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_CaseInvolvingTennesseeValleyAuthorityRetirementSystemMember		                      
Retirement age of eligibility for cost of living adjustment after January 1, 2010           60tve_RetirementAgeOfEligibilityForCostOfLivingAdjustmentAfterJanuary12010
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_CaseInvolvingTennesseeValleyAuthorityRetirementSystemMember		                      
Remaining defendant         1tve_RemainingDefendant
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_CaseInvolvingTennesseeValleyAuthorityRetirementSystemMember		                        
Number of days to file an ammended complaint       14 days                          
Case Involving the NRC Waste Confidence Decision on Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage                                  
Legal Proceedings                                  
Number of years that spent fuel can be stored after a plant's license is terminated             60 years                    
Administrative Proceedings Regarding Sequoyah U1 and U2 [Member]                                  
Legal Proceedings                                  
Number of contentions submitted by BREDL BEST and MATRR                 8tve_NumberofcontentionssubmittedbyBREDLBESTandMATRR
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_AdministrativeProceedingsRegardingSequoyahU1andU2Member		                
Opposed contentions                 8tve_Opposedcontentions
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_AdministrativeProceedingsRegardingSequoyahU1andU2Member		                
Number of petitioners with standing               1tve_Numberofpetitionerswithstanding
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_AdministrativeProceedingsRegardingSequoyahU1andU2Member		                  
Number of petitioners               3tve_Numberofpetitioners
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_AdministrativeProceedingsRegardingSequoyahU1andU2Member		                  
Number of contentions dismissed               7tve_NumberOfContentionsDismissed
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_AdministrativeProceedingsRegardingSequoyahU1andU2Member		                  
Number of contentions left               1tve_NumberOfContentionsLeft
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_AdministrativeProceedingsRegardingSequoyahU1andU2Member		                  
Administrative Proceedings Regarding Bellefonte Units 3 and 4                                  
Legal Proceedings                                  
Number of contentions left                     2tve_NumberOfContentionsLeft
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_AdministrativeProceedingsRegardingBellefonteUnits3And4Member		            
Number of admitted contentions submitted by BREDL and SACE                     4tve_NumberOfAdmittedContentionsSubmittedByBredlAndSace
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_AdministrativeProceedingsRegardingBellefonteUnits3And4Member		            
Number of contentions submitted by BREDL and SACE                     20tve_NumberOfContentionsSubmittedByBredlAndSace
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_AdministrativeProceedingsRegardingBellefonteUnits3And4Member		            
Number of contentions no longer admitted                     2tve_NumberOfContentionsNoLongerAdmitted
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_AdministrativeProceedingsRegardingBellefonteUnits3And4Member		            
Number of BREDL contentions                       1tve_NumberofBREDLcontentions
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_AdministrativeProceedingsRegardingBellefonteUnits3And4Member		          
Number of SACE contentions                   1tve_NumberOfSaceContentions
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_AdministrativeProceedingsRegardingBellefonteUnits3And4Member		              
Administrative Proceedings Regarding Watts Bar Nuclear Plant Unit 2                                  
Legal Proceedings                                  
Number of contentions dismissed                         1tve_NumberOfContentionsDismissed
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_AdministrativeProceedingsRegardingWattsBarNuclearPlantUnit2Member		        
Number of contentions admitted for hearing                         2tve_NumberOfContentionsAdmittedForHearing
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_AdministrativeProceedingsRegardingWattsBarNuclearPlantUnit2Member		        
Number of SACE contentions                       1tve_NumberOfSaceContentions
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_AdministrativeProceedingsRegardingWattsBarNuclearPlantUnit2Member		 7tve_NumberOfSaceContentions
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_AdministrativeProceedingsRegardingWattsBarNuclearPlantUnit2Member		        
Number of other petitioners                         4tve_NumberOfOtherPetitioners
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_AdministrativeProceedingsRegardingWattsBarNuclearPlantUnit2Member		        
Number of contentions remaining                         1tve_NumberOfContentionsRemaining
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_AdministrativeProceedingsRegardingWattsBarNuclearPlantUnit2Member		        
Petitions Resulting from Japanese Nuclear Events                                  
Legal Proceedings                                  
Number of requests accepted by the NRC                           5tve_NumberOfRequestsAcceptedByNrc
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_PetitionsResultingFromJapaneseNuclearEventsMember		      
Other Noncurrent Liabilities [Member] | General                                  
Legal Proceedings                                  
Legal loss contingency accrual   79,000,000us-gaap_LossContingencyAccrualAtCarryingValue
/ us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis
= us-gaap_OtherNoncurrentLiabilitiesMember
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_GeneralMember		                              
Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities [Member] | General                                  
Legal Proceedings                                  
Legal loss contingency accrual   $ 72,000,000us-gaap_LossContingencyAccrualAtCarryingValue
/ us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis
= us-gaap_AccountsPayableAndAccruedLiabilitiesMember
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_GeneralMember		                              
Subsequent Event | Kingston Ash Spill                                  
Legal Proceedings                                  
Number of lawsuits dismissed                                 2tve_NumberOfLawsuitsDismissed
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= tve_LegalProceedingsRelatedToKingstonAshSpillMember
/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember