COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES - LEGAL PROCEEDINGS (Details)								3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		3 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 USD ($)		Sep. 30, 2012 San Diego Gas and Electric Company and Subsidiary [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 San Diego Gas and Electric Company and Subsidiary [Member] USD ($)		Sep. 30, 2012 Southern California Gas Company [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2012 Loss from Catastrophes [Member] S D G E Segment [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2011 Loss from Catastrophes [Member] S D G E Segment [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2012 Loss from Catastrophes [Member] S D G E Segment [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2011 Loss from Catastrophes [Member] S D G E Segment [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2012 Loss from Catastrophes [Member] San Diego Gas and Electric Company and Subsidiary [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2012 Liberty Gas Storage Litigation [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2012 HMRC VAT Claim [Member] GBP (£)
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss Contingency Accrual, at Carrying Value	$ 427,000,000			$ 411,000,000			$ 5,000,000					$ 411,000,000
Payments for Legal Settlements												14,750,000
Claims Payments By Insurers To All Claimants												1,600,000,000
Percentage of Total Claims to be Paid by Company												57.50%
Total Individual And Business Claims												1,400,000,000
Liability Insurance Coverage, Maximum												1,100,000,000
Litigation Settlement, Gross												824,000,000
Loss Contingency Monetary Damages Sought													56,700,000
Estimated Gain Loss On Contract Termination													215,000,000
Payments For Legal Settlements In Excess Of Recovered Amounts												187,000,000
Loss Contingency Accrual Carrying Value, Current												284,000,000
Loss Contingency Accrual Carrying Value, Noncurrent												127,000,000
VAT Tax Claim Amount														86,000,000
Regulatory Assets Arising From Wildfire Litigation Costs	326,000,000	594,000,000	[1],[2]	326,000,000	594,000,000	[2]
Potential Impact On Earnings												175,000,000
Portion of Regulatory Assets Arising From Wildfire Litigation Related To CPUC Operations												292,000,000
Loss From Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss Contingency, Loss in Period								$ (1,000,000)	$ 5,000,000	$ 4,000,000	$ 7,000,000

[1] As adjusted for the retrospective effect of a change in accounting principle as we discuss in Note 1.

[2] Derived from audited financial statements.