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OTHER FINANCIAL DATA - EARNINGS PER SHARE (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010
Earnings Per Share Numerator [Abstract]
Earnings	$ 511,000,000	$ 222,000,000	$ 769,000,000	$ 328,000,000
Earnings Per Share Denominator [Abstract]
Weighted-average common shares outstanding for basic EPS	239,415,000	246,784,000	239,769,000	246,435,000
Dilutive effect of stock options, restricted stock awards and restricted stock units	1,346	2,943	1,385	3,400
Weighted-average common shares outstanding for diluted EPS	240,761,000	249,727,000	241,154,000	249,835,000
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Basic earnings per common share	$ 2.14	$ 0.90	$ 3.21	$ 1.33
Diluted earnings per common share	$ 2.12	$ 0.89	$ 3.19	$ 1.31
San Diego Gas and Electric Company and Subsidiary [Member]
Earnings Per Share Numerator [Abstract]
Earnings	72,000,000	76,000,000	162,000,000	160,000,000
Southern California Gas Company [Member]
Earnings Per Share Numerator [Abstract]
Earnings	60,000,000	70,000,000	128,000,000	135,000,000
Out Of The Money Stock Options [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded From Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share	2,118,042	2,177,855	2,119,677	2,171,016
In The Money Stock Options
Antidilutive Securities Excluded From Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share	900	0	900	0
Restricted Stock
Antidilutive Securities Excluded From Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share	4,434,795	2,203,973	4,450,495	1,801,758
Restricted Stock Units Member
Schedule Of Performance Based Restricted Shares [Line Items]
Contractual vesting percentage minimum	0.00%
Contractual vesting percentage maximum	150.00%
Restricted Stock Awards Member
Schedule Of Performance Based Restricted Shares [Line Items]
Contractual vesting percentage minimum	0.00%
Contractual vesting percentage maximum	$ 100.00%
Seventy Fifth Percentile Or Above [Member]
Total Shareholder Return Ranking [Line Items]
Common Shares Received For Each Restricted Stock Unit	1.5
Fiftieth Percentile [Member]
Total Shareholder Return Ranking [Line Items]
Common Shares Received For Each Restricted Stock Unit	1
Thirty Fifth Percentile Or Below [Member]
Total Shareholder Return Ranking [Line Items]
Common Shares Received For Each Restricted Stock Unit	0