Regulatory Assets, Liabilities, And Balancing Accounts (Long-Term Regulatory Assets) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013
Regulatory Assets [Line Items]
Total long-term regulatory assets	$ 6,322		$ 4,913
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member]
Regulatory Assets [Line Items]
Total long-term regulatory assets	2,347	[1],[2]	1,444	[1],[2]
Deferred Income Taxes [Member]
Regulatory Assets [Line Items]
Total long-term regulatory assets	2,390	[1]	1,835	[1]
Utility Retained Generation [Member]
Regulatory Assets [Line Items]
Total long-term regulatory assets	456	[3]	503	[3]
Environmental Compliance Costs [Member]
Regulatory Assets [Line Items]
Total long-term regulatory assets	717	[1]	628	[1]
Price Risk Management [Member]
Regulatory Assets [Line Items]
Total long-term regulatory assets	127	[1]	106	[1]
Electromechanical meters [Member]
Regulatory Assets [Line Items]
Total long-term regulatory assets	70	[4]	135	[4]
Unamortized Loss, Net Of Gain, On Reacquired Debt [Member]
Regulatory Assets [Line Items]
Total long-term regulatory assets	113	[1]	135	[1]
Other Regulatory Assets ( Liabilities) [Member]
Regulatory Assets [Line Items]
Total long-term regulatory assets	$ 102		$ 127

[1] Represents the cumulative differences between amounts recognized for ratemaking purposes and amounts recognized in accordance with GAAP. Pension benefits also includes amounts that otherwise would be recorded to accumulated other comprehensive income/loss in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. (See Note 11 below.)

[2] The Utility expects to continuously recover pension benefits.

[3] In connection with the settlement agreement entered into among PG&E Corporation, the Utility, and the CPUC in 2003 to resolve the Utility?s proceeding under Chapter 11, the CPUC authorized the Utility to recover $1.2 billion of costs related to the Utility?s retained generation assets. The individual components of these regulatory assets are being amortized over the respective lives of the underlying generation facilities, consistent with the period over which the related revenues are recognized.

[4] Represents the expected future recovery of the net book value of electromechanical meters that were replaced with SmartMeter? devices.