Commitments And Contingencies (Legal And Regulatory Contingencies) (Details) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)		Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Accrued legal liabilities		$ 61,000	$ 55,000	$ 61,000		$ 55,000
Unrecognized Tax Benefits		380,000		380,000
Amount of capitalized PSEP costs included in Property, Plant, and Equipment		657,000		657,000
Payment To State General Fund				100,000	[1]	200,000
Bill Credit to Natural Gas Customers				400,000
CPUC Remedial Measures	[2]			0
CPUC Disallowed Future Spending				850,000
Disallowed revenue for pipeline safety expenses	[3]			0
Total Penalty Decision fines and remedies recorded				$ 770,000
SED Maximum Statutory Penalty Per Violaiton		$ 50
Butte Fire [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of Deaths		2		2
Number Of Structures Destroyed		965		965
Number Of Houses Destroyed		571		571
Penalty Decision Cumulative Charges [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Payment To State General Fund	[1]			$ 300,000
Bill Credit to Natural Gas Customers				400,000
CPUC Remedial Measures	[2]			20,000
Disallowed revenue for pipeline safety expenses	[3]			0
Total Penalty Decision fines and remedies recorded				990,000
Penalty Decision Future Charges and Costs [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Payment To State General Fund	[1]			0
Bill Credit to Natural Gas Customers				0
CPUC Remedial Measures	[2]			30,000
Disallowed revenue for pipeline safety expenses	[3]			161,000
Total Penalty Decision fines and remedies recorded				$ 610,000
Carmel Incident [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
CPUC Imposed Penalty			10,850
Violations Before January 1, 2012 [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
California Public Utilities Commission Imposed Penalty Per Day Per Violation		$ 20
Violations After January 1, 2012 [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
California Public Utilities Commission Imposed Penalty Per Day Per Violation		50
Maximum Allowable Award [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Energy Efficiency Award For 2006-2008 Program Cycle		180,000
Actual Award [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Energy Efficiency Award For 2006-2008 Program Cycle		$ 104,000
Pacific Gas And Electric Company [Member] | Criminal investigation [Member] | Original Indictment [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of felony counts				12
Pacific Gas And Electric Company [Member] | Criminal investigation [Member] | Superceding Indictment [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Statutory penalty for each count of alleged violation				$ 500
Total maximum statutory penalties				$ 14,000
Number of felony counts				15
Gross Gain Derived From Alleged Violation				$ 281,000
Gross Loss Derived From Alleged Violation				565,000
Maximum Alternative Fine Sought				$ 1,130,000
Pacific Gas And Electric Company [Member] | Criminal investigation [Member] | Alleged obstruction of NTSB's investigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of felony counts				1
Pacific Gas And Electric Company [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
SED fines for self-reported violations				$ 50
Pacific Gas And Electric Company [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
SED fines for self-reported violations				$ 16,800
Pacific Gas And Electric Company [Member] | CAISO And PX [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Disputed Claims Liability Balance			434,000			434,000
Other Receivables Disputed Claims			291,000			$ 291,000
Pacific Gas And Electric Company [Member] | Ex Parte Communications [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
CPUC Imposed Fine			$ 1,050

[1] In March 2015, the Utility increased its accrual from $200 million at December 31, 2014 to $300 million.

[2] In the Penalty Decision, the CPUC estimated that the Utility would incur $50 million to comply with the remedies specified in the Penalty Decision, including approximately $30 million for the cost of future audits to be conducted by the SED. The amounts shown in the table above represent these estimated amounts and do not reflect the Utility’s remedy-related costs already incurred nor the Utility’s estimated future remedy-related costs. The Utility has submitted testimony in its 2017 GRC request to remove additional remedy-related costs of approximately $61 million. The Utility could incur remedy-related costs that are higher than current estimates.

[3] These costs are being expensed as incurred. Future GT&S revenues will be reduced for these unrecovered expenses.