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INCOME TAXES (Tables)
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
Schedule Of Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation [Abstract]  
Schedule Of Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation
RECONCILIATION OF FEDERAL INCOME TAX RATES TO EFFECTIVE INCOME TAX RATES
 
 Years ended December 31,
 201120102009
Sempra Energy Consolidated      
U.S. federal statutory income tax rate 35% 35% 35%
Utility depreciation 3  6  3 
State income taxes, net of federal income tax benefit 2  ―  3 
Tax credits (1)  (3)  (1) 
Allowance for equity funds used during construction (2)  (3)  (1) 
Non-U.S. earnings taxed at lower statutory income tax rates (8)  (12)  (5) 
Adjustments to prior years’ tax issues ―  (3)  (2) 
Utility repair allowance (1)  (2)  (1) 
Self-developed software expenditures (3)  (5)  (3) 
Mexican foreign exchange and inflation effects (1)  2  1 
Variable interest entities ―  1  (1) 
Noncontrolling interests ―  ―  1 
Impact of change in income tax law ―  2  ― 
Impact of impairment of an equity method investment ―  (2)  ― 
Other, net (1)  1  ― 
Effective income tax rate 23% 17% 29%
SDG&E      
U.S. federal statutory income tax rate 35% 35% 35%
Depreciation 4  5  4 
State income taxes, net of federal income tax benefit 5  4  4 
Allowance for equity funds used during construction (4)  (3)  (2) 
Adjustments to prior years’ tax issues ―  (3)  (1) 
Utility repair allowance (1)  (2)  (1) 
Self-developed software expenditures (3)  (2)  (2) 
Variable interest entity (1)  1  (2) 
Impact of change in income tax law ―  1  ― 
Other, net (1)  (3)  (3) 
Effective income tax rate 34% 33% 32%
SoCalGas      
U.S. federal statutory income tax rate 35% 35% 35%
Depreciation 6  5  6 
State income taxes, net of federal income tax benefit 4  4  4 
Self-developed software expenditures (7)  (6)  (6) 
Allowance for equity funds used during construction (2)  (1)  (1) 
Impact of change in income tax law ―  3  ― 
Other, net (3)  (2)  (4) 
Effective income tax rate 33% 38% 34%
Schedule Of Geographic Components Of Income Before Income Taxes And Equity Earnings Of Certain Unconsolidated Subsidiaries [Abstract]  
Schedule Of Geographic Components Of Income Before Income Taxes And Equity Earnings Of Certain Unconsolidated Subsidiaries [Text Block]
 Years ended December 31,
(Dollars in millions)201120102009
U.S.$ 1,011$ 448$ 1,007
Non-U.S.  712  339  469
Total$ 1,723$ 787$ 1,476
Schedule Of Components Of Income Tax Expense [Abstract]  
Schedule Of Components Of Income Tax Expense
INCOME TAX EXPENSE
(Dollars in millions)
 Years ended December 31,
 201120102009
Sempra Energy Consolidated      
Current:      
U.S. Federal$ 76$ 69$ 39
U.S. State  (3)  (3)  40
Non-U.S.  149  30  48
Total   222  96  127
Deferred:      
U.S. Federal  176  (18)  216
U.S. State  43  32  24
Non-U.S.  (45)  27  58
Total   174  41  298
Deferred investment tax credits  (2)  (4)  (3)
Total income tax expense$ 394$ 133$ 422
SDG&E      
Current:      
U.S. Federal$ (59)$ 69$ 70
U.S. State  6  52  34
Total   (53)  121  104
Deferred:      
U.S. Federal  253  75  75
U.S. State  36  (21)  (2)
Total   289  54  73
Deferred investment tax credits  1  (2)  ―
Total income tax expense$ 237$ 173$ 177
SoCalGas      
Current:      
U.S. Federal$ (6)$ 43$ 52
U.S. State  19  26  22
Total   13  69  74
Deferred:      
U.S. Federal  128  108  67
U.S. State  5  2  6
Total   133  110  73
Deferred investment tax credits  (3)  (3)  (3)
Total income tax expense$ 143$ 176$ 144
Schedule Of Components Of Deferred Tax Assets And Liabilities [Abstract]  
Schedule Of Components Of Deferred Tax Assets And Liabilities
DEFERRED INCOME TAXES FOR SEMPRA ENERGY CONSOLIDATED
(Dollars in millions)
 December 31,
 20112010
Deferred income tax liabilities:    
Differences in financial and tax bases of depreciable and amortizable assets$ 2,360$ 1,949
Regulatory balancing accounts  456  535
Unrealized revenue  13  23
Loss on reacquired debt  12  15
Property taxes  43  38
Difference in financial and tax bases of partnership interests  152  ―
Other deferred income tax liabilities  30  72
Total deferred income tax liabilities  3,066  2,632
Deferred income tax assets:    
Investment tax credits  22  34
Equity losses  16  3
Net operating losses   811  40
Compensation-related items  140  158
Postretirement benefits  361  467
Difference in financial and tax bases of partnership interests  ―  83
Other deferred income tax assets  34  52
State income taxes  58  73
Bad debt allowance  8  10
Litigation and other accruals not yet deductible  5  304
Deferred income tax assets before valuation allowances  1,455  1,224
Less: valuation allowances  82  62
Total deferred income tax assets  1,373  1,162
Net deferred income tax liability$ 1,693$ 1,470
Our policy is to show deferred taxes of VIEs on a net basis, including valuation allowances. See table “Amounts Associated with Otay Mesa VIE” in Note 1 for further information on VIEs.

DEFERRED INCOME TAXES FOR SDG&E AND SOCALGAS
(Dollars in millions)
 SDG&ESoCalGas
 December 31,December 31,
 2011201020112010
Deferred income tax liabilities:        
Differences in financial and tax bases of        
utility plant and other assets$ 1,152$ 982$ 632$ 483
Regulatory balancing accounts  230  230  236  316
Loss on reacquired debt  5  7  8  10
Property taxes  30  25  14  14
Other  19  17  1  (1)
Total deferred income tax liabilities  1,436  1,261  891  822
Deferred income tax assets:        
Postretirement benefits  115  126  161  272
Investment tax credits  17  17  16  17
Compensation-related items  15  14  39  41
State income taxes  24  33  18  18
Litigation and other accruals not yet deductible  33  192  22  20
Hedging transaction  ―  ―  7  9
Other  3  7  8  10
Total deferred income tax assets   207  389  271  387
Net deferred income tax liability$ 1,229$ 872$ 620$ 435
Our policy is to show deferred taxes of VIEs on a net basis, including valuation allowances. See table “Amounts Associated with Otay Mesa VIE” in Note 1 for further information on VIEs.

NET DEFERRED INCOME TAX LIABILITY
(Dollars in millions)
 Sempra Energy    
 ConsolidatedSDG&ESoCalGas
 201120102011201020112010
Current (asset) liability$ 173$ (75)$ 62$ (129)$ 44$ 17
Noncurrent liability  1,520  1,545  1,167  1,001  576  418
Total$ 1,693$ 1,470$ 1,229$ 872$ 620$ 435
Income Tax Uncertainties [Abstract]  
Summary of Income Tax Contingencies
SUMMARY OF UNRECOGNIZED INCOME TAX BENEFITS
(Dollars in millions)
 Sempra Energy            
 ConsolidatedSDG&ESoCalGas
 201120102009201120102009201120102009
Total$ 72$ 97$ 94$ 7$ 5$ 14$ ―$ 8$ 11
Of the total, amounts related to tax                   
positions that, if recognized, in                   
future years, would:                  
decrease the effective tax rate$ (72)$ (76)$ (76)$ (7)$ (5)$ (13)$ ―$ (1)$ (1)
increase the effective tax rate  7  5  13  7  5  13  ―  ―  ―

RECONCILIATION OF UNRECOGNIZED INCOME TAX BENEFITS
(Dollars in millions)
 201120102009
Sempra Energy Consolidated:      
Balance as of January 1 $ 97$ 94$ 104
Increase in prior period tax positions  7  29  44
Decrease in prior period tax positions  (26)  (4)  (3)
Increase in current period tax positions  3  5  15
Settlements with taxing authorities  (9)  (9)  (54)
Expirations of statutes of limitations  ―  (18)  (12)
Balance as of December 31 $ 72$ 97$ 94
SDG&E:      
Balance as of January 1 $ 5$ 14$ 18
Increase in prior period tax positions  ―  ―  1
Decrease in prior period tax positions  ―  (3)  ―
Increase in current period tax positions  2  3  3
Settlements with taxing authorities  ―  (9)  (8)
Balance as of December 31 $ 7$ 5$ 14
SoCalGas:      
Balance as of January 1 $ 8$ 11$ 19
Increase in prior period tax positions  2  5  1
Settlements with taxing authorities  (10)  ―  (1)
Expirations of statutes of limitations  ―  (8)  (8)
Balance as of December 31 $ ―$ 8$ 11

INTEREST EXPENSE AND PENALTIES ASSOCIATED WITH UNRECOGNIZED INCOME TAX BENEFITS
(Dollars in millions)
 Sempra Energy            
 Consolidated SDG&E SoCalGas
 201120102009 201120102009 201120102009
Interest expense (benefit)$ (3)$ 4$ (16) $ ―$ 3$ (4) $ (1)$ 1$ (3)
Penalties  (1)  ―  3   ―  ―  ―   ―  ―  1

ACCRUED INTEREST EXPENSE AND PENALTIES ASSOCIATED WITH UNRECOGNIZED INCOME TAX BENEFITS
(Dollars in millions)
 Sempra Energy         
 Consolidated SDG&E SoCalGas
 20112010 20112010 20112010
Interest expense (benefit)$ 3$ 6 $ 1$ 1 $ 1$ 2
Penalties  3  4   ―  ―   ―  ―
Positions for which Significant Change in Unrecognized Tax Benefits is Reasonably Possible [Abstract]  
Summary of Positions for which Significant Change in Unrecognized Tax Benefits is Reasonably Possible
POSSIBLE DECREASES IN UNRECOGNIZED INCOME TAX BENEFITS WITHIN 12 MONTHS
(Dollars in millions)
 At December 31,
 201120102009
Sempra Energy Consolidated:      
Expiration of statutes of limitations on tax assessments $ (7)$ (6)$ (7)
Potential resolution of audit issues with various      
U.S. federal, state and local and non-U.S. taxing authorities  ―  (35)  (24)
 $ (7)$ (41)$ (31)
SDG&E$ ―$ ―$ ―
SoCalGas:      
Expiration of statutes of limitations on tax assessments $ ―$ (5)$ (6)
Potential resolution of audit issues with various      
U.S. federal, state and local taxing authorities  ―  ―  (1)
 $ ―$ (5)$ (7)