Commitments And Contingencies (Legal And Regulatory Contingencies) (Details) $ in Thousands		12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
PSEP disallowed capital expenditures		$ 507,000	$ 407,000	$ 116,000
Pacific Gas And Electric Company [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
PSEP disallowed capital expenditures		507,000	407,000	$ 116,000
Utility [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Accrued legal liabilities		45,000	63,000
Butte Fire [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Cumulative Legal Expenses Related to Butte Fire		$ 27,000
Number Of Structures Burned By Fire		44
Vegetation Management Contractors		2
Total Insurance Coverage		$ 900,000
Number Of Homes Burned By Fire		549
Number Of Households Represented In Court		950
Number of Master Complaints		2
Number Of Outbuildings Burned By Fire		368
Number of plaintiffs		1,950
Number Of Fatalities Caused By Fire		2
Number Of Commerical Properties Burned By Fire		4
Fire Fighting Costs Recovery Requested		$ 90,000
Number Of Acres Burned		70,868
Gas Distribution OII [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
New Penalty Assessed By CPUC In Modified Presiding Officer Decision		$ 25,600
Fine Paid For Carmel Incident		10,850
SED proposed an additional fine to the Utility		7,000
Criminal Investigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Total maximum penalties		$ 3,000
Number of Alleged Felony Counts		1
Number Of Counts The Jury Acquitted Utility		6
Guilty Felony Count Of Obstructing Federal Agency Proceeding		1
Number Of Counts Of Violations Of Integrity Management Regulations		5
Dismissed Alleged Count Of Violation		1
Number Of Years For Coporate Probation Period		5 years
Number Of Years With Oversight By Third Party Monitor		5 years
Number Of Years With Oversight By Third Party Monitor With Early Termination		3 years
Maximum [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
S E D fines for self reported violations		$ 16,800
Safety And Enforcement Division Maximum Statutory Penalty Per Violation		50
Minimum [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
S E D fines for self reported violations		$ 50
Ex Parte Communications [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Total Ex Parte Communications		164
CPUC Imposed Penalty Per Day Per Violation		$ 50
Penalty Decision Future Charges and Costs [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Disallowed Revenue For Pipeline Safety Expenses	[1]	32,000
Total Penalty Decision Fines And Remedies		32,000
Shareholder Funded Pipeline Safety Enhancement Plan Work		850,000
Penalty Decision Cumulative Charges [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Customer bill credit paid		400,000
Disallowed Revenue For Pipeline Safety Expenses	[1]	129,000
Payment To State General Fund		300,000
Total Penalty Decision Fines And Remedies		1,518,000
PSEP disallowed capital expenditures	[2]	689,000
Total Penalty Decision [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Customer bill credit paid		400,000
C P U C Remedial Measures	[3]	50,000
Disallowed Revenue For Pipeline Safety Expenses	[1]	161,000
Payment To State General Fund		300,000
Total Penalty Decision Fines And Remedies		1,600,000
PSEP disallowed capital expenditures	[2]	689,000
Insurance Receivable [Member] | Butte Fire [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Balance at December 31, 2015		0
Accrued Insurance Recoveries		625,000
Reimbursements		(50,000)
Balance at December 31, 2016		575,000	$ 0
Potential Safety Citation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Fines Related to Non-Operator Inspectors		$ 5,050
Amount of Time Required by the SED between Inspections		39 months
Fine For Not Completing Inspection Within Scheduled Time Frame		$ 350
Number Of Noncompliant Atmospheric Corrosion Inspections		550,000
Percent Of Noncompliant Atmospheric Corrosion Inspections		35.00%
Fine For Not Reporting Self Identified Violations Within Ten Days Of Discovery		$ 50
SED Administrative Limit per Safety Citation		8,000
Pipeline Safety Enhancement Plan [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
CPUC authorized recovery		766,000
Capitalized PSEP costs		1,350,000
Pipeline Safety Enhancement Plan Charges		665,000
2015-2018 [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
GT&S Capital Dissallowance		85,000
2011-2014 [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
GT&S Capital Dissallowance		$ 134,000
Alleged Obstruction of NTSB Investigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of Alleged Felony Counts		12

[1] GT&S revenues have been reduced for these unrecovered expenses. The remaining charges will be recognized in the first quarter of 2017.

[2] The Penalty Decision disallows the Utility from recovering $850 million in costs associated with pipeline safety-related projects and programs. On December 1, 2016, the CPUC issued a final phase two decision in the Utility’s 2015 GT&S rate case which allocates $689 million of the $850 million penalty to capital expenditures.

[3] In the Penalty Decision, the CPUC estimated that the Utility would incur $50 million to comply with the remedies specified in the Penalty Decision. This table does not reflect the Utility’s remedy-related costs already incurred or the Utility’s estimated future remedy-related costs.