FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS 5 (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure			$ 1
Level 1
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure			1
Carrying Amount
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure			12	[1]
Fair value of financial instruments, Total long-term debt	11,889	[2]	11,873	[2]
Preferred Stock Of Subsidiaries Fair Value Disclosure	99		99
Debt Instrument Unamortized Discount	16		16
Capital Lease Obligations	188		189
Commercial Paper Noncurrent			300
Carrying Amount | San Diego Gas and Electric Company and Subsidiary [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Fair value of financial instruments, Total long-term debt	4,133	[3]	4,135	[3]
Contingently Redeemable Preferred Stock Fair Value Disclosure	79		79
Debt Instrument Unamortized Discount	12		12
Capital Lease Obligations	184		185
Carrying Amount | Southern California Gas Company [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Fair value of financial instruments, Total long-term debt	1,413	[4]	1,413	[4]
Preferred Stock Fair Value Disclosure	22		22
Debt Instrument Unamortized Discount	4		4
Capital Lease Obligations	4		4
Fair Value
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure			36
Fair value of financial instruments, Total long-term debt	13,343		13,243
Preferred Stock Of Subsidiaries Fair Value Disclosure	108		107
Fair Value | Level 2
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Fair value of financial instruments, Total long-term debt	12,389		12,287
Preferred Stock Of Subsidiaries Fair Value Disclosure	108		107
Fair Value | Level 3
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure			36
Fair value of financial instruments, Total long-term debt	954		956
Fair Value | San Diego Gas and Electric Company and Subsidiary [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Fair value of financial instruments, Total long-term debt	4,710		4,588
Contingently Redeemable Preferred Stock Fair Value Disclosure	85		85
Fair Value | San Diego Gas and Electric Company and Subsidiary [Member] | Level 2
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Fair value of financial instruments, Total long-term debt	4,368		4,243
Contingently Redeemable Preferred Stock Fair Value Disclosure	85		85
Fair Value | San Diego Gas and Electric Company and Subsidiary [Member] | Level 3
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Fair value of financial instruments, Total long-term debt	342		345
Fair Value | Southern California Gas Company [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Fair value of financial instruments, Total long-term debt	1,596		1,599
Preferred Stock Fair Value Disclosure	25		24
Fair Value | Southern California Gas Company [Member] | Level 2
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Fair value of financial instruments, Total long-term debt	1,596		1,599
Preferred Stock Fair Value Disclosure	$ 25		$ 24

[1] Investments in affordable housing partnerships at Parent and Other.

[2] Before reductions for unamortized discount (net of premium) of $16 million at both March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, and excluding capital leases of $188 million at March 31, 2013 and $189 million at December 31, 2012, and commercial paper classified as long-term debt of $300 million at December 31, 2012. We discuss our long-term debt in Note 6 above and in Note 5 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in the Annual Report.

[3] Before reductions for unamortized discount of $12 million at both March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, and excluding capital leases of $184 million at March 31, 2013 and $185 million at December 31, 2012.

[4] Before reductions for unamortized discount of $4 million at both March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, and excluding capital leases of $4 million at both March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012.