Income Taxes (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Income Taxes [Abstract]

Schedule Of Components Of Income Tax Expense (Benefit)

	PG&E Corporation						Utility
	Year Ended December 31,
	2011		2010		2009		2011		2010		2009
(in millions)
Current:
Federal		$  (77)		$  (12)		$  (747)		$  (83)		$  (54)		$  (696)
State		152		130		(41)		161		134		(45)
Deferred:
Federal		504		525		1,161		534		589		1,139
State		(135)		(91)		92		(128)		(90)		89
Tax credits		(4)		(5)		(5)		(4)		(5)		(5)
Income tax provision		$  440		$  547		$  460		$  480		$  574		$  482

Schedule Of Deferred Tax Assets And Liabilities

	PG&E Corporation				Utility
	Year Ended December 31,
	2011		2010		2011		2010
(in millions)
Deferred income tax assets:
Customer advances for construction		$  108		$  -		$  108		$  -
Reserve for damages		243		222		243		222
Environmental reserve		157		242		157		242
Compensation		310		345		258		305
Net operating loss carry forward		728		327		567		270
Other		217		207		180		178
Total deferred income tax assets		$  1,763		$  1,343		$  1,513		$  1,217
Deferred income tax liabilities:
Regulatory balancing accounts		$  878		$  1,116		$  878		$  1,116
Property related basis differences		6,309		5,236		6,301		5,234
Income tax regulatory asset		588		509		588		509
Other		192		142		105		135
Total deferred income tax liabilities		$  7,967		$  7,003		$  7,872		$  6,994
Total net deferred income tax liabilities		$  6,204		$  5,660		$  6,359		$  5,777
Classification of net deferred income tax liabilities:
Included in current liabilities		$  196		$  113		$  199		$  118
Included in noncurrent liabilities		6,008		5,547		6,160		5,659
Total net deferred income tax liabilities		$  6,204		$  5,660		$  6,359		$  5,777

Schedule Of Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation

	PG&E Corporation									Utility
	Year Ended December 31,
	2011			2010			2009			2011			2010			2009
Federal statutory income tax rate		35.0	%		35.0	%		35.0	%		35.0	%		35.0	%		35.0	%
Increase (decrease) in income tax rate resulting from:
State income tax (net of federal benefit)		1.1			0.7			1.6			1.6			1.0			1.4
Effect of regulatory treatment of fixed asset differences		(4.4)			(3.1)			(2.7)			(4.2)			(3.0)			(2.6)
Tax credits		(0.5)			(0.4)			(0.5)			(0.5)			(0.4)			(0.5)
IRS audit settlements		-			0.1			(4.5)			-			(0.2)			(4.2)
Benefit of loss carryback		(1.9)			-			-			(2.1)			-			-
Non deductible penalties		6.5			0.2			-			6.3			0.2			-
Other, net		(1.5)			0.7			(1.5)			0.1			1.3			(1.3)
Effective tax rate		34.3	%		33.2	%		27.4	%		36.2	%		33.9	%		27.8	%

Schedule Of Change In Unrecognized Tax Benefits

	PG&E Corporation						Utility
	2011		2010		2009		2011		2010		2009
(in millions)
Balance at beginning of year		$  714		$  673		$  75		$  712		$  652		$  37
Additions for tax position taken during a prior year		2		27		4		2		27		4
Reductions for tax position taken during a prior year		(198)		(20)		(3)		(196)		-		-
Additions for tax position taken during the current year		3		89		624		-		87		623
Settlements		(15)		(55)		(27)		(15)		(54)		(12)
Balance at end of year		$  506		$  714		$  673		$  503		$  712		$  652