COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES - LEGAL PROCEEDINGS (Details)								3 Months Ended				3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2012 USD ($)		Mar. 31, 2013 San Diego Gas and Electric Company and Subsidiary [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2012 San Diego Gas and Electric Company and Subsidiary [Member] USD ($)		Mar. 31, 2013 Southern California Gas Company [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2013 Loss from Catastrophes [Member] S D G E Segment [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2012 Loss from Catastrophes [Member] S D G E Segment [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2013 Loss from Catastrophes [Member] San Diego Gas and Electric Company and Subsidiary [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2013 Liberty Gas Storage Litigation [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2013 HMRC VAT Claim [Member] GBP (£)	Mar. 31, 2013 Sunrise Powerlink Construction [Member] San Diego Gas and Electric Company and Subsidiary [Member] USD ($)
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss Contingency Accrual, at Carrying Value	$ 283,000,000			$ 267,000,000			$ 5,000,000			$ 266,000,000
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										1,000,000,000
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										190,000,000
Loss Contingency Accrual Carrying Value, Current										221,000,000
Loss Contingency Accrual Carrying Value, Noncurrent										45,000,000
VAT Tax Claim Amount												86,000,000
Regulatory Assets Arising From Wildfire Litigation Costs	360,000,000	364,000,000	[1]	360,000,000	364,000,000	[1]
Potential Impact On Earnings										190,000,000
Portion of Regulatory Assets Arising From Wildfire Litigation Related To CPUC Operations										321,000,000
Fixed Fee Contract Amount													456,000,000
Unbilled Change Orders													230,000,000
Loss From Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss Contingency, Loss in Period								$ 300,000	$ 1,600,000

[1] Derived from audited financial statements.