COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES - CONTRACTUAL COMMITMENTS (Details) (USD $) In Millions	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011
Purchased Power Contracts [Member] | San Diego Gas and Electric Company and Subsidiary [Member]
Long-term Purchase Commitment [Line Items]
Long-term Purchase Commitment, Amount		$ 374
Nuclear Fuel Fabrication [Member] | San Diego Gas and Electric Company and Subsidiary [Member]
Long-term Purchase Commitment [Line Items]
Long-term Purchase Commitment, Amount		23
Sunrise Powerlink Construction [Member] | San Diego Gas and Electric Company and Subsidiary [Member]
Long-term Purchase Commitment [Line Items]
Long-term Purchase Commitment, Amount		245
Electric Distribution, Advanced Metering And Generation Infrastructure [Member] | San Diego Gas and Electric Company and Subsidiary [Member]
Long-term Purchase Commitment [Line Items]
Long-term Purchase Commitment, Amount		41
Natural Gas Infrastructure Construction [Member] | Southern California Gas Company [Member]
Long-term Purchase Commitment [Line Items]
Long-term Purchase Commitment, Amount		359
Sempra Energy [Member]
Payments Under Contractual Commitments [Line Items]
Increase (Decrease) In Liquefied Natural Gas Commitments, Payments Due, Current	(849)
Increase (Decrease) In Liquefied Natural Gas Commitments, Payments Due In Two Years	(484)
Increase (Decrease) In Liquefied Natural Gas Commitments, Payments Due In Three Years	(226)
Increase (Decrease) In Liquefied Natural Gas Commitments, Payments Due In Four Years	(31)
Increase (Decrease) In Liquefied Natural Gas Commitments, Payments Due In Five Years	(13)
Increase (Decrease) In Liquefied Natural Gas Commitments, Payments Due Thereafter	320
Increase (Decrease) In Natural Gas Contracts Commitments		(148)
Increase (Decrease) In Natural Gas Contracts Commitments, Payments Due, Current	(90)
Increase (Decrease) In Natural Gas Contracts Commitments, Payments Due In Two Years	(14)
Increase (Decrease) In Natural Gas Contracts Commitments, Payments Due In Three Years	(7)
Increase (Decrease) In Natural Gas Contracts Commitments, Payments Due In Four Years	(37)
Luz Del Sur [Member]
Payments Under Contractual Commitments [Line Items]
Increase (Decrease) In Purchased Power Commitments, Payments Due, Current	99
Increase (Decrease) In Purchased Power Commitments, Payments Due In Two Years	440
Increase (Decrease) In Purchased Power Commitments, Payments Due In Three Years	488
Increase (Decrease) In Purchased Power Commitments, Payments Due In Four Years	534
Increase (Decrease) In Purchased Power Commitments, Payments Due In Five Years	587
Increase (Decrease) In Purchased Power Commitments, Payments Due Thereafter	4,700
Chilquinta Energia [Member]
Payments Under Contractual Commitments [Line Items]
Increase (Decrease) In Purchased Power Commitments, Payments Due, Current	71
Increase (Decrease) In Purchased Power Commitments, Payments Due In Two Years	283
Increase (Decrease) In Purchased Power Commitments, Payments Due In Three Years	306
Increase (Decrease) In Purchased Power Commitments, Payments Due In Four Years	320
Increase (Decrease) In Purchased Power Commitments, Payments Due In Five Years	355
Increase (Decrease) In Purchased Power Commitments, Payments Due Thereafter	3,100
San Diego Gas and Electric Company and Subsidiary [Member]
Payments Under Contractual Commitments [Line Items]
Contractual Commitments, Payments Due, Current	205
Contractual Commitments, Payments Due In Two Years	78
Contractual Commitments, Payments Due In Three Years	9
Contractual Commitments, Payments Due In Four Years	4
Contractual Commitments, Payments Due In Five Years	3
Contractual Commitments, Payments Due Thereafter	10
Increase (Decrease) In Purchased Power Commitments, Payments Due, Current	34
Increase (Decrease) In Purchased Power Commitments, Payments Due In Two Years	44
Increase (Decrease) In Purchased Power Commitments, Payments Due In Three Years	42
Increase (Decrease) In Purchased Power Commitments, Payments Due In Four Years	12
Increase (Decrease) In Purchased Power Commitments, Payments Due In Five Years	12
Increase (Decrease) In Purchased Power Commitments, Payments Due Thereafter	230
Southern California Gas Company [Member]
Payments Under Contractual Commitments [Line Items]
Contractual Commitments, Payments Due, Current	38
Contractual Commitments, Payments Due In Two Years	34
Contractual Commitments, Payments Due In Three Years	62
Contractual Commitments, Payments Due In Four Years	59
Contractual Commitments, Payments Due In Five Years	59
Contractual Commitments, Payments Due Thereafter	107
Increase (Decrease) In Natural Gas Contracts Commitments		120
Decrease In Natural Gas Contracts Commitments, Fulfillment	514
Increase In Natural Gas Contracts Commitments, New Contracts	394
Increase (Decrease) In Natural Gas Contracts Commitments, Payments Due, Current	(389)
Increase (Decrease) In Natural Gas Contracts Commitments, Payments Due In Two Years	243
Increase (Decrease) In Natural Gas Contracts Commitments, Payments Due In Three Years	24
Increase (Decrease) In Natural Gas Contracts Commitments, Payments Due In Four Years	1
Increase (Decrease) In Natural Gas Contracts Commitments, Payments Due In Five Years	$ 1