SEGMENT INFORMATION (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013		Jun. 30, 2012		Jun. 30, 2013		Jun. 30, 2012		Dec. 31, 2012
Segment Reporting Information, Profit (Loss) [Abstract]
Segment reporting information, Revenues	$ 2,651		$ 2,089		$ 5,301		$ 4,472
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Total Consolidated Revenues	100.00%		100.00%		100.00%		100.00%
Segment reporting information, Interest Expense	138		113		276		226
Segment reporting information, Interest Income	4		4		10		9
Segment reporting information, Depreciation and Amortization	247		266		542		523
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Depreciation and Amortization	100.00%		100.00%		100.00%		100.00%
Segment reporting information, Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	32		(118)		210		(1)
Segment reporting information, Equity Earnings (Losses) Recorded Before Tax	8		(293)		18		(281)
Segment reporting information, Equity Earnings (Losses) Recorded Net of Tax	1		8		5		19
Segment reporting information, earnings (losses)	245		62		423		298
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Earnings (Losses)	100.00%		100.00%		100.00%		100.00%
Segment Reporting Information, Additional Information [Abstract]
Segment reporting information, Expenditures for Property, Plant & Equipment					1,130		1,517
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Expenditures for Property, Plant & Equipment					100.00%		100.00%
Segment reporting information, Assets	37,020				37,020				36,499	[1]
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Assets	100.00%				100.00%				100.00%
Segment Reporting Information Investments In Equity Method Investees	1,376				1,376				1,427
Earnings reclassified between segments			4
S D G E Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information, Profit (Loss) [Abstract]
Segment reporting information, Revenues	1,064		780		2,003		1,614
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Total Consolidated Revenues	40.00%		37.00%		38.00%		36.00%
Segment reporting information, Interest Expense	49		39		97		75
Segment reporting information, Interest Income					1
Segment reporting information, Depreciation and Amortization	107		119		241		231
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Depreciation and Amortization	43.00%		45.00%		44.00%		44.00%
Segment reporting information, Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	12		53		63		113
Segment reporting information, earnings (losses)	65	[2]	95	[2]	156	[2]	200	[2]
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Earnings (Losses)	26.00%		153.00%		37.00%		67.00%
Segment Reporting Information, Additional Information [Abstract]
Segment reporting information, Expenditures for Property, Plant & Equipment					446		729
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Expenditures for Property, Plant & Equipment					40.00%		48.00%
Segment reporting information, Assets	14,896				14,896				14,744
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Assets	40.00%				40.00%				40.00%
Segment Reporting Information, Intersegment Revenue	2		1		4		3
So Cal Gas Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information, Profit (Loss) [Abstract]
Segment reporting information, Revenues	904		720		1,887		1,600
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Total Consolidated Revenues	34.00%		34.00%		36.00%		36.00%
Segment reporting information, Interest Expense	18		17		35		34
Segment reporting information, Depreciation and Amortization	80		90		180		177
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Depreciation and Amortization	33.00%		34.00%		33.00%		34.00%
Segment reporting information, Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	45		28		69		68
Segment reporting information, earnings (losses)	118	[2]	53	[2]	164	[2]	119	[2]
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Earnings (Losses)	48.00%		85.00%		39.00%		40.00%
Segment Reporting Information, Additional Information [Abstract]
Segment reporting information, Expenditures for Property, Plant & Equipment					340		316
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Expenditures for Property, Plant & Equipment					30.00%		21.00%
Segment reporting information, Assets	9,361				9,361				9,071
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Assets	25.00%				25.00%				25.00%
Segment Reporting Information, Intersegment Revenue	16		16		31		31
All Other Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information, Profit (Loss) [Abstract]
Segment reporting information, Interest Expense	59		65		122		123
Segment reporting information, Interest Income			(2)		(1)		(1)
Segment reporting information, Depreciation and Amortization	3		3		5		6
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Depreciation and Amortization	1.00%		1.00%		1.00%		1.00%
Segment reporting information, Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	(41)		(65)		(6)		(81)
Segment reporting information, Equity Earnings (Losses) Recorded Before Tax			(1)				(1)
Segment reporting information, earnings (losses)	(22)		(2)		(106)		(21)
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Earnings (Losses)	(9.00%)		(3.00%)		(25.00%)		(7.00%)
Segment Reporting Information, Additional Information [Abstract]
Segment reporting information, Expenditures for Property, Plant & Equipment					1		3
Segment reporting information, Assets	605				605				818
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Assets	2.00%				2.00%				2.00%
Segment Reporting Information Investments In Equity Method Investees	76				76				134
Adjustments and Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information, Profit (Loss) [Abstract]
Segment reporting information, Revenues	(2)		(1)		(2)		(2)
Intercompany Eliminations Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information, Profit (Loss) [Abstract]
Segment reporting information, Interest Expense	(28)		(43)		(58)		(78)
Segment reporting information, Interest Income	(23)		(15)		(37)		(26)
Intersegment Revenues Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information, Profit (Loss) [Abstract]
Segment reporting information, Revenues	(97)	[3]	(88)	[3]	(195)	[3]	(188)	[3]
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Total Consolidated Revenues	(3.00%)		(4.00%)		(4.00%)		(4.00%)
Intersegment Receivables Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information, Additional Information [Abstract]
Segment reporting information, Assets	(3,328)				(3,328)				(1,619)
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Assets	(9.00%)				(9.00%)				(4.00%)
Sempra South American Utilities Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information, Profit (Loss) [Abstract]
Segment reporting information, Revenues	371		348		755		705
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Total Consolidated Revenues	14.00%		17.00%		14.00%		16.00%
Segment reporting information, Interest Expense	5		6		12		16
Segment reporting information, Interest Income	3		4		8		8
Segment reporting information, Depreciation and Amortization	15		14		30		27
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Depreciation and Amortization	6.00%		5.00%		6.00%		5.00%
Segment reporting information, Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	17		17		34		30
Segment reporting information, Equity Earnings (Losses) Recorded Net of Tax	(7)				(14)
Segment reporting information, earnings (losses)	34		38		71		78
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Earnings (Losses)	14.00%		61.00%		17.00%		26.00%
Segment Reporting Information, Additional Information [Abstract]
Segment reporting information, Expenditures for Property, Plant & Equipment					66		58
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Expenditures for Property, Plant & Equipment					6.00%		4.00%
Segment reporting information, Assets	3,421				3,421				3,310
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Assets	9.00%				9.00%				9.00%
Segment Reporting Information Investments In Equity Method Investees	(3)				(3)
Sempra Mexico Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information, Profit (Loss) [Abstract]
Segment reporting information, Revenues	163		118		331		254
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Total Consolidated Revenues	6.00%		6.00%		6.00%		6.00%
Segment reporting information, Interest Expense	3				5		3
Segment reporting information, Interest Income			1		1		1
Segment reporting information, Depreciation and Amortization	15		15		31		31
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Depreciation and Amortization	6.00%		6.00%		6.00%		6.00%
Segment reporting information, Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	2		(5)		28		30
Segment reporting information, Equity Earnings (Losses) Recorded Net of Tax	8		8		19		19
Segment reporting information, earnings (losses)	26		47		57		80
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Earnings (Losses)	11.00%		76.00%		13.00%		27.00%
Segment Reporting Information, Additional Information [Abstract]
Segment reporting information, Expenditures for Property, Plant & Equipment					161		9
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Expenditures for Property, Plant & Equipment					14.00%		1.00%
Segment reporting information, Assets	3,264				3,264				2,591
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Assets	9.00%				9.00%				7.00%
Segment Reporting Information Investments In Equity Method Investees	359				359				340
Segment Reporting Information, Intersegment Revenue	23		37		45		83
Sempra Renewables Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information, Profit (Loss) [Abstract]
Segment reporting information, Revenues	30		14		51		22
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Total Consolidated Revenues	1.00%		1.00%		1.00%		0.00%
Segment reporting information, Interest Expense	9		3		17		7
Segment reporting information, Interest Income	4		1		7		1
Segment reporting information, Depreciation and Amortization	7		3		15		6
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Depreciation and Amortization	3.00%		1.00%		3.00%		1.00%
Segment reporting information, Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	(9)		(18)		(17)		(35)
Segment reporting information, Equity Earnings (Losses) Recorded Before Tax	(3)		(2)		(2)		(1)
Segment reporting information, earnings (losses)	15		24		19		34
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Earnings (Losses)	6.00%		39.00%		4.00%		11.00%
Segment Reporting Information, Additional Information [Abstract]
Segment reporting information, Expenditures for Property, Plant & Equipment					61		351
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Expenditures for Property, Plant & Equipment					5.00%		23.00%
Segment reporting information, Assets	2,464				2,464				2,439
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Assets	7.00%				7.00%				7.00%
Segment Reporting Information Investments In Equity Method Investees	605				605				592
Sempra Natural Gas Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information, Profit (Loss) [Abstract]
Segment reporting information, Revenues	218		198		471		467
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Total Consolidated Revenues	8.00%		9.00%		9.00%		10.00%
Segment reporting information, Interest Expense	23		26		46		46
Segment reporting information, Interest Income	20		15		31		26
Segment reporting information, Depreciation and Amortization	20		22		40		45
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Depreciation and Amortization	8.00%		8.00%		7.00%		9.00%
Segment reporting information, Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	6		(128)		39		(126)
Segment reporting information, Equity Earnings (Losses) Recorded Before Tax	11		(290)		20		(279)
Segment reporting information, earnings (losses)	9		(193)		62		(192)
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Earnings (Losses)	4.00%		(311.00%)		15.00%		(64.00%)
Segment Reporting Information, Additional Information [Abstract]
Segment reporting information, Expenditures for Property, Plant & Equipment					55		51
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Expenditures for Property, Plant & Equipment					5.00%		3.00%
Segment reporting information, Assets	6,337				6,337				5,145
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Assets	17.00%				17.00%				14.00%
Segment Reporting Information Investments In Equity Method Investees	339				339				361
Segment Reporting Information, Intersegment Revenue	$ 56		$ 34		$ 115		$ 71

[1] Derived from audited financial statements.

[2] After preferred dividends.

[3] Revenues for reportable segments include intersegment revenues of: $2 million, $16 million, $23 million and $56 million for the three months ended June 30, 2013; $4 million, $31 million, $45 million and $115 million for the six months ended June 30, 2013; $1 million, $16 million, $37 million and $34 million for the three months ended June 30, 2012; and $3 million, $31 million, $83 million and $71 million for the six months ended June 30, 2012 for SDG&E, SoCalGas, Sempra Mexico and Sempra Natural Gas, respectively.