DEBT (Schedule of Line of Credit) (Details)	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($)
Debt [Line Items]
Letters of credit sublimit	$ 50,000,000
Swingline loans sublimit	$ 100,000,000
Swingline loan repay term	7 days
Utility
Debt [Line Items]
Letters of credit sublimit	$ 500,000,000
Swingline loans sublimit	75,000,000
Revolving Credit Facility
Debt [Line Items]
Facility Limit	300,000,000
Letters of Credit Outstanding	0
Borrowings	0
Facility Availability	300,000,000
Revolving Credit Facility \| Credit Facilities
Debt [Line Items]
Facility Limit	3,300,000,000
Letters of Credit Outstanding	87,000,000
Borrowings	0
Facility Availability	3,213,000,000
Revolving Credit Facility \| Utility
Debt [Line Items]
Facility Limit	3,000,000,000
Letters of Credit Outstanding	87,000,000
Borrowings	0
Facility Availability	$ 2,913,000,000

Debt [Line Items]

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	pcg_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Letters of credit sublimit

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pcg_LettersOfCreditSublimit
Namespace Prefix:	pcg_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pcg_SwinglineLoanRepayTerm
Namespace Prefix:	pcg_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Swingline loans sublimit

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pcg_SwinglineLoansSublimit
Namespace Prefix:	pcg_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The total amount of the contingent obligation under letters of credit outstanding as of the reporting date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LettersOfCreditOutstandingAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the current and noncurrent portions of long-term obligations drawn from a line of credit, which is a bank's commitment to make loans up to a specific amount. Examples of items that might be included in the application of this element may consist of letters of credit, standby letters of credit, and revolving credit arrangements, under which borrowings can be made up to a maximum amount as of any point in time conditional on satisfaction of specified terms before, as of and after the date of drawdowns on the line. Includes short-term obligations that would normally be classified as current liabilities but for which (a) postbalance sheet date issuance of a long term obligation to refinance the short term obligation on a long term basis, or (b) the enterprise has entered into a financing agreement that clearly permits the enterprise to refinance the short-term obligation on a long term basis and the following conditions are met (1) the agreement does not expire within 1 year and is not cancelable by the lender except for violation of an objectively determinable provision, (2) no violation exists at the BS date, and (3) the lender has entered into the financing agreement is expected to be financially capable of honoring the agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(22))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCredit
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of borrowing capacity currently available under the credit facility (current borrowing capacity less the amount of borrowings outstanding).

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityRemainingBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis=us-gaap_RevolvingCreditFacilityMember
Namespace Prefix:
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Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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