Commitments And Contingencies (Legal And Regulatory Contingencies) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended				3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Apr. 19, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012 PGE Corporation And Utility [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 PGE Corporation And Utility [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Pacific Gas And Electric Company [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Pacific Gas And Electric Company [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Pacific Gas And Electric Company [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Pacific Gas And Electric Company [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Utility [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Utility [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 CPUC Investigations- Maximum Penalties Per Day [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 San Bruno Explosion [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 San Bruno Explosion [Member] Pacific Gas And Electric Company [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 San Bruno Explosion [Member] San Mateo County Superior Court [Member] plaintiff	Mar. 31, 2012 San Bruno Explosion [Member] Tort Lawsuits [Member] San Mateo County Superior Court [Member] lawsuit	Mar. 31, 2012 San Bruno Explosion [Member] Class Action Lawsuits [Member] San Mateo County Superior Court [Member] lawsuit
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Accrued legal liabilities				$ 36,000,000	$ 52,000,000	$ 243,000,000	$ 277,000,000	$ 214,000,000	$ 0
Penalty due to plat maps being misplaced		17,000,000
Number of self-reports filed with the CPUC	12
Citation to be paid upon final resolution			17,000,000
Time limit for citation to be paid (days)			30
Number of gas distribution maps	16
Additional number of gas distribution maps, not considered	46
Per violation penalty that may be imposed prior to the maximum statutory penalty increase												20,000
Per violation penalty that may be imposed subsequent to the maximum statutory penalty increase												50,000
Probable penalty amount				200,000,000	200,000,000
Number of lawsuits																110	2
Number of plaintiffs															380
Cumulative charge														375,000,000
Estimated possible additional loss contingency liability														225,000,000
Insurance recoveries for cost incurred related to third-party claims										11,000,000	99,000,000
Estimated maximum amount for third-party claims for San Bruno													600,000,000
Utility liability insurance for damages						992,000,000
Utility liability insurance deductible						$ 10,000,000