CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EQUITY - USD ($)	Total	Pacific Gas & Electric Co	Preferred Stock Pacific Gas & Electric Co	Common Stock	Common Stock Pacific Gas & Electric Co	Additional Paid-in Capital Pacific Gas & Electric Co	Reinvested Earnings	Reinvested Earnings Pacific Gas & Electric Co	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) Pacific Gas & Electric Co	Total Shareholders' Equity	Total Shareholders' Equity Pacific Gas & Electric Co	Non controlling Interest - Preferred Stock  of Subsidiary
Balance, beginning of period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2016				506,891,874
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2016	$ 18,192,000,000		$ 258,000,000	$ 12,198,000,000	$ 1,322,000,000	$ 8,050,000,000	$ 5,751,000,000	$ 8,763,000,000	$ (9,000,000)	$ 2,000,000	$ 17,940,000,000	$ 18,395,000,000	$ 252,000,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net Income (Loss)	1,660,000,000	$ 1,691,000,000					1,660,000,000	1,691,000,000			1,660,000,000	1,691,000,000
Other comprehensive income (loss)	1,000,000	4,000,000							1,000,000	4,000,000	1,000,000	4,000,000
Equity contribution						455,000,000				0		455,000,000
Common stock issued, net (in shares)				7,863,971
Common stock issued, net	416,000,000			$ 416,000,000							416,000,000
Stock-based compensation amortization	18,000,000			$ 18,000,000							18,000,000
Common stock dividends declared	(801,000,000)						(801,000,000)	(784,000,000)			(801,000,000)	(784,000,000)
Preferred stock dividend		(14,000,000)						(14,000,000)				(14,000,000)
Preferred stock dividend requirement of subsidiary	(14,000,000)						(14,000,000)				(14,000,000)
Balance, end of period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017				514,755,845
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2017	19,472,000,000		258,000,000	$ 12,632,000,000	1,322,000,000	8,505,000,000	6,596,000,000	9,656,000,000	(8,000,000)	6,000,000	19,220,000,000	19,747,000,000	252,000,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net Income (Loss)	(6,837,000,000)	(6,818,000,000)					(6,837,000,000)	(6,818,000,000)			(6,837,000,000)	(6,818,000,000)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	4,000,000	(5,000,000)					5,000,000	2,000,000	(1,000,000)	(7,000,000)	4,000,000	(5,000,000)
Equity contribution						45,000,000						45,000,000
Common stock issued, net (in shares)				5,582,865
Common stock issued, net	200,000,000			$ 200,000,000							200,000,000
Stock-based compensation amortization	78,000,000			$ 78,000,000							78,000,000
Preferred stock dividend		$ 0						(14,000,000)				(14,000,000)
Preferred stock dividend requirement of subsidiary	$ (14,000,000)						(14,000,000)				(14,000,000)
Balance, end of period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018	520,338,710	264,374,809		520,338,710
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2018	$ 12,903,000,000		258,000,000	$ 12,910,000,000	1,322,000,000	8,550,000,000	(250,000,000)	2,826,000,000	(9,000,000)	(1,000,000)	12,651,000,000	12,955,000,000	252,000,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net Income (Loss)	(7,642,000,000)	$ (7,622,000,000)					(7,642,000,000)	(7,622,000,000)			(7,642,000,000)	(7,622,000,000)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(1,000,000)	2,000,000							(1,000,000)	2,000,000	(1,000,000)	2,000,000
Common stock issued, net (in shares)				8,898,031
Common stock issued, net	85,000,000			$ 85,000,000							85,000,000
Stock-based compensation amortization	$ 43,000,000			$ 43,000,000							43,000,000
Preferred stock dividend		$ 0
Balance, end of period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2019	529,236,741	264,374,809		529,236,741
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2019	$ 5,388,000,000		$ 258,000,000	$ 13,038,000,000	$ 1,322,000,000	$ 8,550,000,000	$ (7,892,000,000)	$ (4,796,000,000)	$ (10,000,000)	$ 1,000,000	$ 5,136,000,000	$ 5,335,000,000	$ 252,000,000