DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS 4 (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2014		Jun. 30, 2013		Jun. 30, 2014		Jun. 30, 2013
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Fixed-price contracts and other derivatives					$ 17		$ 28
San Diego Gas and Electric Company and Subsidiary [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Fixed-price contracts and other derivatives					3		5
Cash Flow Hedges
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Amount of pretax gain (loss) on derivative recognized in OCI (effective portion)	(22)	[1]	50	[1]	(48)	[1]	23	[1]
Gain (loss) reclassified from AOCI into earnings (effective portion)	(8)	[1]	0	[1]	(26)	[1]	(5)	[1]
Cash Flow Hedges | Interest Expense | Interest Rate And Foreign Exchange Instruments [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Amount of pretax gain (loss) on derivative recognized in OCI (effective portion)	(7)	[2]	33	[2]	(10)	[2]	5	[2]
Gain (loss) reclassified from AOCI into earnings (effective portion)	(6)	[2]	(3)	[2]	(9)	[2]	(6)	[2]
Cash Flow Hedges | Interest Expense | Interest Rate Instruments | San Diego Gas and Electric Company and Subsidiary [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Amount of pretax gain (loss) on derivative recognized in OCI (effective portion)	(3)	[1],[2]	10	[1],[2]	(6)	[1],[2]	11	[1],[2]
Gain (loss) reclassified from AOCI into earnings (effective portion)	(2)	[1],[2]	(2)	[1],[2]	(5)	[1],[2]	(4)	[1],[2]
Cash Flow Hedges | Interest Expense | Interest Rate Instruments | Southern California Gas Company [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Amount of pretax gain (loss) on derivative recognized in OCI (effective portion)	0		0		0		0
Gain (loss) reclassified from AOCI into earnings (effective portion)	0		(1)		0		(1)
Cash Flow Hedges | Equity Earnings Before Income Tax [Member] | Interest Rate Instruments
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Amount of pretax gain (loss) on derivative recognized in OCI (effective portion)	(15)		13		(30)		14
Gain (loss) reclassified from AOCI into earnings (effective portion)	(2)		(2)		(5)		(4)
Cash Flow Hedges | Revenues: Energy-Related Businesses [Member] | Commodity Contracts Not Subject To Rate Recovery
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Amount of pretax gain (loss) on derivative recognized in OCI (effective portion)	0		4		(6)		4
Gain (loss) reclassified from AOCI into earnings (effective portion)	0		5		(10)		5
Cash Flow Hedges | Gain On Sale Of Assets [Member] | Interest Rate Instruments
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Amount of pretax gain (loss) on derivative recognized in OCI (effective portion)					(2)		0
Gain (loss) reclassified from AOCI into earnings (effective portion)					(2)		0
Fair Value Hedges
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (loss) reclassified from AOCI into earnings (effective portion)	7		(3)		6		(1)
Fair Value Hedges | Interest Expense | Interest Rate Instruments
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (loss) reclassified from AOCI into earnings (effective portion)	2		2		5		4
Gain (Loss) on Fair Value Hedge Ineffectiveness, Net	7				9
Fair Value Hedges | Other Income, Net | Interest Rate Instruments
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (loss) reclassified from AOCI into earnings (effective portion)	5		(5)		1		(5)
Undesignated Derivatives
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (loss) reclassified from AOCI into earnings (effective portion)	16		12		27		8
Undesignated Derivatives | Other Income, Net | Interest Rate And Foreign Exchange Instruments [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (loss) reclassified from AOCI into earnings (effective portion)	4		6		7		13
Undesignated Derivatives | Equity Earnings Net Of Income Tax [Member] | Interest Rate And Foreign Exchange Instruments [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (loss) reclassified from AOCI into earnings (effective portion)	0		4		(2)		4
Undesignated Derivatives | Revenues: Energy-Related Businesses [Member] | Commodity Contracts Not Subject To Rate Recovery
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (loss) reclassified from AOCI into earnings (effective portion)	4		21		(1)		1
Undesignated Derivatives | Cost of Natural Gas, Electric Fuel and Purchased Power [Member] | Commodity Contracts Not Subject To Rate Recovery
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (loss) reclassified from AOCI into earnings (effective portion)	1		0		2		0
Undesignated Derivatives | Cost of Electric Fuel and Purchased Power [Member] | Commodity Contracts Subject To Rate Recovery [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (loss) reclassified from AOCI into earnings (effective portion)	8		(18)		20		(9)
Undesignated Derivatives | Cost of Electric Fuel and Purchased Power [Member] | Commodity Contracts Subject To Rate Recovery [Member] | San Diego Gas and Electric Company and Subsidiary [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (loss) reclassified from AOCI into earnings (effective portion)	8		(18)		20		(9)
Undesignated Derivatives | Cost of Natural Gas [Member] | Commodity Contracts Subject To Rate Recovery [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (loss) reclassified from AOCI into earnings (effective portion)	(1)		(1)		1		(1)
Undesignated Derivatives | Cost of Natural Gas [Member] | Commodity Contracts Subject To Rate Recovery [Member] | Southern California Gas Company [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (loss) reclassified from AOCI into earnings (effective portion)	$ (1)		$ (1)		$ 1		$ (1)

[1] There was a negligible amount of ineffectiveness related to these hedges in 2014 and 2013.

[2] Amounts include Otay Mesa VIE. All of SDG&E’s interest rate derivative activity relates to Otay Mesa VIE.