CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EQUITY - USD ($)	Total	Pacific Gas & Electric Co (Utility)	Preferred Stock Pacific Gas & Electric Co (Utility)	Common Stock	Common Stock Pacific Gas & Electric Co (Utility)	Additional Paid-in Capital Pacific Gas & Electric Co (Utility)	Reinvested Earnings	Reinvested Earnings Pacific Gas & Electric Co (Utility)	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss Pacific Gas & Electric Co (Utility)	Total Shareholders' Equity	Total Shareholders' Equity Pacific Gas & Electric Co (Utility)	Non- controlling Interest - Preferred Stock  of Subsidiary
Beginning balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017				514,755,845
Beginning 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 requirement of subsidiary	(14,000,000)						(14,000,000)				(14,000,000)
Preferred stock dividend		0						(14,000,000)				(14,000,000)
Ending balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018				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
Ending balance (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
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (Loss)	(1,304,000,000)	$ 411,000,000					(1,304,000,000)	411,000,000			(1,304,000,000)	411,000,000
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(17,000,000)	(6,000,000)							(17,000,000)	(6,000,000)	(17,000,000)	(6,000,000)
Equity contribution						19,736,000,000						19,736,000,000
Common stock issued, net (in shares)				1,455,441,932
Common stock issued, net	15,854,000,000			$ 15,854,000,000							15,854,000,000
Equity units issued	1,304,000,000			1,304,000,000							1,304,000,000
Stock-based compensation amortization	$ 28,000,000			$ 28,000,000							28,000,000
Preferred stock dividend		$ 0
Ending balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2020	1,984,678,673	264,374,809		1,984,678,673
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2020	$ 21,253,000,000		$ 258,000,000	$ 30,224,000,000	$ 1,322,000,000	$ 28,286,000,000	$ (9,196,000,000)	$ (4,385,000,000)	$ (27,000,000)	$ (5,000,000)	$ 21,001,000,000	$ 25,476,000,000	$ 252,000,000