COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES - LEGAL PROCEEDINGS (Details)								3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		3 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2012 USD ($)		Sep. 30, 2013 San Diego Gas and Electric Company and Subsidiary [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2012 San Diego Gas and Electric Company and Subsidiary [Member] USD ($)		Sep. 30, 2013 Southern California Gas Company [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2013 Loss from Catastrophes [Member] S D G E Segment [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2012 Loss from Catastrophes [Member] S D G E Segment [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2013 Loss from Catastrophes [Member] S D G E Segment [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2012 Loss from Catastrophes [Member] S D G E Segment [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2013 Loss from Catastrophes [Member] San Diego Gas and Electric Company and Subsidiary [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2013 Liberty Gas Storage Litigation [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2013 HMRC VAT Claim [Member] GBP (£)	Sep. 30, 2013 Sunrise Powerlink Construction [Member] San Diego Gas and Electric Company and Subsidiary [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2013 Sunrise Mechanics Lien 1 [Member] San Diego Gas and Electric Company and Subsidiary [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2013 Sunrise Mechanics Lien 2 [Member] San Diego Gas and Electric Company and Subsidiary [Member] USD ($)
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss Contingency Accrual, at Carrying Value	$ 177,000,000			$ 164,000,000			$ 5,000,000					$ 164,000,000
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												550,000,000
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												285,000,000
Loss Contingency Accrual Carrying Value, Current												127,000,000
Loss Contingency Accrual Carrying Value, Noncurrent												37,000,000
VAT Tax Claim Amount														86,000,000
Regulatory Assets Arising From Wildfire Litigation Costs	339,000,000	364,000,000	[1]	339,000,000	364,000,000	[1]
Potential Impact On Earnings												186,000,000
Portion of Regulatory Assets Arising From Wildfire Litigation Related To CPUC Operations												315,000,000
Fixed Fee Contract Amount															456,000,000
Unbilled Change Orders																99,200,000	81,100,000
Loss From Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss Contingency, Loss (Gain) in Period								$ (500,000)	$ (800,000)	$ (200,000)	$ 4,100,000

[1] Derived from audited financial statements.