DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS 3 (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012
Fixed Price Contracts And Other Derivatives, Current Assets [Member]
Derivative Instruments in Hedges, at Fair Value, Net [Abstract]
Interest rate and foreign exchange instruments	$ 7	[1]	$ 7	[1]
Commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery			1
Other Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments at Fair Value, Net, Total [Abstract]
Interest rate and foreign exchange instruments	8		8
Commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery	76		117
Associated offsetting commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery	(71)		(102)
Commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	30		30
Associated offsetting commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	(6)		(4)
Net amount prensented on balance sheet	44		57
Additional margin posted for commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery	20		22
Additional margin posted for commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	24		13
Total	88		92
Fixed Price Contracts And Other Derivatives, Current Assets [Member] | San Diego Gas and Electric Company and Subsidiary [Member]
Other Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments at Fair Value, Net, Total [Abstract]
Commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	27		28
Associated offsetting commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	(5)		(3)
Net amount prensented on balance sheet	22		25
Additional margin posted for commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery	1	[2]	1	[2]
Additional margin posted for commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	22		12
Total	45		38
Fixed Price Contracts And Other Derivatives, Current Assets [Member] | Southern California Gas Company [Member]
Other Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments at Fair Value, Net, Total [Abstract]
Commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	3	[3]	2	[3]
Associated offsetting commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	(1)	[3]	(1)	[3]
Net amount prensented on balance sheet	2	[3]	1	[3]
Additional margin posted for commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery	2	[2],[3]	2	[2],[3]
Additional margin posted for commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	2	[3]	1	[3]
Total	6	[3]	4	[3]
Fixed Price Contracts And Other Derivatives, Noncurrent Assets [Member]
Derivative Instruments in Hedges, at Fair Value, Net [Abstract]
Interest rate and foreign exchange instruments	13	[1]	12	[1]
Other Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments at Fair Value, Net, Total [Abstract]
Interest rate and foreign exchange instruments	37		40
Commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery	15		15
Associated offsetting commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery	(13)		(12)
Commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	34		35
Net amount prensented on balance sheet	86		90
Total	86		90
Fixed Price Contracts And Other Derivatives, Noncurrent Assets [Member] | San Diego Gas and Electric Company and Subsidiary [Member]
Other Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments at Fair Value, Net, Total [Abstract]
Commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	34		35
Net amount prensented on balance sheet	34		35
Total	34		35
Fixed Price Contracts And Other Derivatives, Current Liabilities [Member]
Derivative Instruments in Hedges, at Fair Value, Net [Abstract]
Interest rate and foreign exchange instruments	(19)	[1]	(19)	[1]
Other Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments at Fair Value, Net, Total [Abstract]
Interest rate and foreign exchange instruments	(7)		(8)
Commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery	(104)		(116)
Associated offsetting commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery	71		102
Associated cash collateral commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery	18		4
Commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	(20)		(35)
Associated cash collateral commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	11		22
Associated offsetting commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	6		4
Net amount prensented on balance sheet	(44)		(46)
Total	(44)		(46)
Fixed Price Contracts And Other Derivatives, Current Liabilities [Member] | San Diego Gas and Electric Company and Subsidiary [Member]
Derivative Instruments in Hedges, at Fair Value, Net [Abstract]
Interest rate and foreign exchange instruments	(17)	[1]	(17)	[1]
Other Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments at Fair Value, Net, Total [Abstract]
Commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	(18)		(33)
Associated cash collateral commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	10		22
Associated offsetting commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	5		3
Net amount prensented on balance sheet	(20)		(25)
Total	(20)		(25)
Fixed Price Contracts And Other Derivatives, Current Liabilities [Member] | Southern California Gas Company [Member]
Other Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments at Fair Value, Net, Total [Abstract]
Commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	(2)	[4]	(2)	[4]
Associated cash collateral commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	1	[4]
Associated offsetting commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	1	[4]	1	[4]
Net amount prensented on balance sheet			(1)	[4]
Total			(1)	[4]
Fixed Price Contracts And Other Derivatives, Noncurrent Liabilities [Member]
Derivative Instruments in Hedges, at Fair Value, Net [Abstract]
Interest rate and foreign exchange instruments	(76)	[1]	(64)	[1]
Other Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments at Fair Value, Net, Total [Abstract]
Interest rate and foreign exchange instruments	(32)		(35)
Commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery	(18)		(27)
Associated offsetting commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery	13		12
Associated cash collateral commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery	1		7
Commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	(1)		(1)
Associated cash collateral commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	1		1
Net amount prensented on balance sheet	(112)		(107)
Total	(112)		(107)
Fixed Price Contracts And Other Derivatives, Noncurrent Liabilities [Member] | San Diego Gas and Electric Company and Subsidiary [Member]
Derivative Instruments in Hedges, at Fair Value, Net [Abstract]
Interest rate and foreign exchange instruments	(58)	[1]	(64)	[1]
Other Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments at Fair Value, Net, Total [Abstract]
Commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	(1)		(1)
Associated cash collateral commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	1		1
Net amount prensented on balance sheet	(58)		(64)
Total	$ (58)		$ (64)

[1] Includes Otay Mesa VIE. All of SDG&E’s amounts relate to Otay Mesa VIE.

[2] Includes cash collateral not offset related to a negligible amount of commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery.

[3] Included in Current Assets: Other for SoCalGas.

[4] Included in Current Liabilities: Other for SoCalGas.