Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity (Details) (USD $) In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period			$ 11,191	$ 11,086
Net income (loss)	(70)	98	227	208
Other comprehensive income (loss)	5	(38)	5	(17)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests				238
Transfer of assets to Capistrano Wind Partners				(21)
Common stock dividends declared			(220)	(212)
Dividends, distributions to noncontrolling interests and other			(51)	(41)
Stock-based compensation and other			(37)	(41)
Noncash stock-based compensation and other			6	15
Issuance of preference stock			387	805
Redemption of preference stock			(400)	(75)
Balance, at the end of the period	11,108	11,945	11,108	11,945
Dividends declared per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.3375	$ 0.325	$ 0.6750	$ 0.65
Common Stock
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period			2,373	2,360
Net income (loss)			0	0
Other comprehensive income (loss)			0	0
Contributions from noncontrolling interests				0
Transfer of assets to Capistrano Wind Partners				(21)
Common stock dividends declared			0	0
Dividends, distributions to noncontrolling interests and other			0	0
Stock-based compensation and other			3	15
Noncash stock-based compensation and other			12	17
Issuance of preference stock			0	0
Redemption of preference stock			0	0
Balance, at the end of the period	2,388	2,371	2,388	2,371
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period			(87)	(139)
Net income (loss)			0	0
Other comprehensive income (loss)			5	(17)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests				0
Transfer of assets to Capistrano Wind Partners				0
Common stock dividends declared			0	0
Dividends, distributions to noncontrolling interests and other			0	0
Stock-based compensation and other			0	0
Noncash stock-based compensation and other			0	0
Issuance of preference stock			0	0
Redemption of preference stock			0	0
Balance, at the end of the period	(82)	(156)	(82)	(156)
Retained Earnings
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period			7,146	7,834
Net income (loss)			176	167
Other comprehensive income (loss)			0	0
Contributions from noncontrolling interests				0
Transfer of assets to Capistrano Wind Partners				0
Common stock dividends declared			(220)	(212)
Dividends, distributions to noncontrolling interests and other			0	0
Stock-based compensation and other			(40)	(56)
Noncash stock-based compensation and other			(5)	(2)
Issuance of preference stock			0	0
Redemption of preference stock			(8)	(1)
Balance, at the end of the period	7,049	7,730	7,049	7,730
Subtotal
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period			9,432	10,055
Net income (loss)			176	167
Other comprehensive income (loss)			5	(17)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests				0
Transfer of assets to Capistrano Wind Partners				(21)
Common stock dividends declared			(220)	(212)
Dividends, distributions to noncontrolling interests and other			0	0
Stock-based compensation and other			(37)	(41)
Noncash stock-based compensation and other			7	15
Issuance of preference stock			0	0
Redemption of preference stock			(8)	(1)
Balance, at the end of the period	9,355	9,945	9,355	9,945
Other Noncontrolling Interests
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period				2
Net income (loss)				0
Other comprehensive income (loss)				0
Contributions from noncontrolling interests				238
Transfer of assets to Capistrano Wind Partners				0
Common stock dividends declared				0
Dividends, distributions to noncontrolling interests and other				0
Stock-based compensation and other				0
Noncash stock-based compensation and other				0
Issuance of preference stock				0
Redemption of preference stock				0
Balance, at the end of the period		240		240
Preferred Stock and Preference Stock
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period			1,759	1,029
Net income (loss)			51	41
Other comprehensive income (loss)			0	0
Contributions from noncontrolling interests				0
Transfer of assets to Capistrano Wind Partners				0
Common stock dividends declared			0	0
Dividends, distributions to noncontrolling interests and other			(51)	(41)
Stock-based compensation and other			0	0
Noncash stock-based compensation and other			(1)	0
Issuance of preference stock			387	805
Redemption of preference stock			(392)	(74)
Balance, at the end of the period	1,753	1,760	1,753	1,760
Southern California Edison
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period			11,743	9,958
Net income (loss)	(67)	214	216	414
Other comprehensive income (loss)	2	(3)	(1)	0
Common stock dividends declared			(240)	(233)
Dividends declared on preferred and preference stock			(51)	(41)
Stock-based compensation and other			(34)	(20)
Noncash stock-based compensation and other			12	8
Issuance of preference stock			387	805
Redemption of preference stock			(400)	(75)
Balance, at the end of the period	11,632	10,816	11,632	10,816
Southern California Edison | Common Stock
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period			2,168	2,168
Net income (loss)			0	0
Other comprehensive income (loss)			0
Common stock dividends declared			0	0
Dividends declared on preferred and preference stock			0	0
Stock-based compensation and other			0	0
Noncash stock-based compensation and other			0	0
Issuance of preference stock			0	0
Redemption of preference stock			0	0
Balance, at the end of the period	2,168	2,168	2,168	2,168
Southern California Edison | Additional Paid-in Capital
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period			581	596
Net income (loss)			0	0
Other comprehensive income (loss)			0
Common stock dividends declared			0	0
Dividends declared on preferred and preference stock			0	0
Stock-based compensation and other			1	10
Noncash stock-based compensation and other			7	8
Issuance of preference stock			(13)	(20)
Redemption of preference stock			8	1
Balance, at the end of the period	584	595	584	595
Southern California Edison | Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period			(29)	(24)
Net income (loss)			0	0
Other comprehensive income (loss)			(1)
Common stock dividends declared			0	0
Dividends declared on preferred and preference stock			0	0
Stock-based compensation and other			0	0
Noncash stock-based compensation and other			0	0
Issuance of preference stock			0	0
Redemption of preference stock			0	0
Balance, at the end of the period	(30)	(24)	(30)	(24)
Southern California Edison | Retained Earnings
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period			7,228	6,173
Net income (loss)			216	414
Other comprehensive income (loss)			0
Common stock dividends declared			(240)	(233)
Dividends declared on preferred and preference stock			(51)	(41)
Stock-based compensation and other			(35)	(30)
Noncash stock-based compensation and other			5	0
Issuance of preference stock			0	0
Redemption of preference stock			(8)	(1)
Balance, at the end of the period	7,115	6,282	7,115	6,282
Southern California Edison | Preferred Stock and Preference Stock
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period			1,795	1,045
Net income (loss)			0	0
Other comprehensive income (loss)			0
Common stock dividends declared			0	0
Dividends declared on preferred and preference stock			0	0
Stock-based compensation and other			0	0
Noncash stock-based compensation and other			0	0
Issuance of preference stock			400	825
Redemption of preference stock			(400)	(75)
Balance, at the end of the period	$ 1,795	$ 1,795	$ 1,795	$ 1,795