Consolidated Statements Of Equity - USD ($) $ in Millions	Total	Pacific Gas And Electric Company [Member]	Common Stock Shares [Member]	Preferred Stock [Member] Pacific Gas And Electric Company [Member]	Common Stock Amount [Member]	Common Stock Amount [Member] Pacific Gas And Electric Company [Member]	Additional Paid-In Capital [Member] Pacific Gas And Electric Company [Member]	Reinvested Earnings [Member]	Reinvested Earnings [Member] Pacific Gas And Electric Company [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member] Pacific Gas And Electric Company [Member]	Total Shareholders' Equity [Member]	Total Shareholders' Equity [Member] Pacific Gas And Electric Company [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest - Preferred Stock Of Subsidiary [Member]
Balance at Dec. 31, 2013	$ 14,594			$ 258	$ 9,550	$ 1,322	$ 5,821	$ 4,742	$ 7,427	$ 50	$ 13	$ 14,342	$ 14,841	$ 252
Balance, in shares at Dec. 31, 2013			456,670,424
Net income	1,450	$ 1,433						1,450	1,433			1,450	1,433
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(39)	(8)								(39)	(8)	(39)	(8)
Equity contribution from PG&E Corporation		705					705						705
Common stock issued, net	823				823							823
Common stock issued, net, shares			19,242,980
Stock-based compensation amortization	65				65							65
Tax expense from employee stock plans	(17)				(17)		(12)					(17)	(12)
Common stock dividends declared	(862)							(862)	(716)			(862)	(716)
Preferred stock dividend									(14)				(14)
Preferred stock dividend requirement of subsidiary	(14)							(14)				(14)
Balance at Dec. 31, 2014	16,000			258	10,421	1,322	6,514	5,316	8,130	11	5	15,748	16,229	252
Balance, in shares at Dec. 31, 2014			475,913,404
Net income	888	862						888	862			888	862
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(18)	(2)								(18)	(2)	(18)	(2)
Equity contribution from PG&E Corporation		$ 705					705						705
Common stock issued, net	801				801							801
Common stock issued, net, shares			16,112,039
Stock-based compensation amortization	66				66							66
Tax expense from employee stock plans	(6)				(6)		(4)					(6)	(4)
Common stock dividends declared	(889)							(889)	(716)			(889)	(716)
Preferred stock dividend									(14)				(14)
Preferred stock dividend requirement of subsidiary	(14)							(14)				(14)
Balance at Dec. 31, 2015	$ 16,828			258	11,282	1,322	7,215	5,301	8,262	(7)	3	16,576	17,060	252
Balance, in shares at Dec. 31, 2015	492,025,443	264,374,809	492,025,443
Net income	$ 1,407	$ 1,402						1,407	1,402			1,407	1,402
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(2)	(1)								(2)	(1)	(2)	(1)
Equity contribution from PG&E Corporation		$ 835					835						835
Common stock issued, net	842				842							842
Common stock issued, net, shares			14,866,431
Stock-based compensation amortization	74				74							74
Common stock dividends declared	(972)							(972)	(911)			(972)	(911)
Preferred stock dividend									(14)				(14)
Preferred stock dividend requirement of subsidiary	(14)							(14)				(14)
Balance at Dec. 31, 2016	$ 18,192			$ 258	$ 12,198	$ 1,322	$ 8,050	5,751	8,763	$ (9)	$ 2	17,940	18,395	$ 252
Balance, in shares at Dec. 31, 2016	506,891,874	264,374,809	506,891,874
Cumulative Effect Of New Accounting Principle In Period Of Adoption	$ 29							$ 29	$ 24			$ 29	$ 24