Commitments And Contingencies (Legal And Regulatory Contingencies) (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		3 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014 Criminal investigation [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 PGE Corporation And Utility [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 PGE Corporation And Utility [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Pacific Gas And Electric Company [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Pacific Gas And Electric Company [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Pacific Gas And Electric Company [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Pacific Gas And Electric Company [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Utility [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Utility [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Utility [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Utility [Member] State General Fund [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Utility [Member] Criminal investigation [Member] Original Indictment [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Utility [Member] Criminal investigation [Member] Superceding Indictment [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Utility [Member] Criminal investigation [Member] Alleged obstruction of NTSB's investigation [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Utility [Member] Minimum [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Utility [Member] Maximum [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Utility [Member] Refund To Ratepayers of Previously Authorized Revenues [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Utility [Member] Estimated Remedial Measures [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Utility [Member] Various parties apeal of CPUC penalty decision [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 P G E Corporation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Accrued legal liabilities						$ 35,000,000	$ 43,000,000
Number of self-reports filed with the CPUC												70
Probable penalty amount						200,000,000	200,000,000
Disallowed capital expenditures			0	(196,000,000)						0	(196,000,000)		196,000,000	353,000,000									877,000,000
Number of CPUC investigative enforcement proceedings												3
Unrecognized Tax Benefits						380,000,000
Amount of capitalized PSEP costs included in Property, Plant, and Equipment												540,000,000
Capitalized PSEP costs												766,000,000
Statutory penalty for each count of alleged violation					500,000
Total maximum statutory penalties					14,000,000
SED fines for self-reported violations																			50,000	16,800,000
Number of felony counts																12	15	1
Reduction to expense funding												23,000,000
Gross Gain Derived From Alleged Violation																	281,000,000
Gross Loss Derived From Alleged Violation																	565,000,000
Maximum Alternative Fine Sought																	1,130,000,000
Penalty issued by ALJs															950,000,000						400,000,000	50,000,000
Fines Imposed in GT&S Rate Case												1,050,000
Proposed payment to State General Fund																							473,000,000
Reduction to income tax expense	115,000,000	(24,000,000)	310,000,000	243,000,000				115,000,000	(20,000,000)	325,000,000	261,000,000	175,000,000
Federal cash refund																								411,000,000
Days To Raise Funds																			40 days	180 days
Number of violations												3,700
Increase in gas transmission and storage revenue												$ 555,000,000