Balance Sheet Components (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2012

Balance Sheet Components [Abstract]

Schedule of Valuation and Qualifying Accounts Disclosure [Text Block]

The activity in the allowance for uncollectible accounts is as follows (in millions):

	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2012			2011
Balance as of beginning of period	$	6		$	5
Provision, net	1			2
Amounts written off, less recoveries	(1		)	(2		)
Balance as of end of period	$	6		$	5

Schedule of Public Utility Property, Plant, and Equipment [Table Text Block]

Electric utility plant, net consists of the following (in millions):

	March 31, 2012			December 31, 2011
Electric utility plant	$	6,630		$	6,596
Construction work in progress	129			120
Total cost	6,759			6,716
Less: accumulated depreciation and amortization	(2,471		)	(2,431		)
Electric utility plant, net	$	4,288		$	4,285

Accumulated depreciation and amortization in the table above includes accumulated amortization related to intangible assets of $158 million and $153 million as of March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively. Amortization expense related to intangible assets was $5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2012 and 2011.

In January 2012, PGE completed construction of a $10 million, 1.75 MW solar powered electric generating facility, which was sold to, and simultaneously leased-back from, a financial institution. The Company operates the project and receives 100% of the power generated by the facility.

Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Text Block]

Regulatory assets and liabilities consist of the following (in millions):

	March 31, 2012				December 31, 2011
	Current		Noncurrent		Current		Noncurrent
Regulatory assets:
Price risk management	$	216	$	172	$	194	$	172
Pension and other postretirement plans	—		290		—		295
Deferred income taxes	—		85		—		87
Deferred broker settlements	9		—		11		—
Debt reacquisition costs	—		27		—		28
Other	7		14		11		12
Total regulatory assets	$	232	$	588	$	216	$	594
Regulatory liabilities:
Asset retirement removal costs	$	—	$	651	$	—	$	637
Asset retirement obligations	—		37		—		36
Power cost adjustment mechanism	—		14		—		10
Other	3		40		6		37
Total regulatory liabilities	$	3	$	742	$	6	$	720

Other Liabilities Disclosure [Text Block]

Accrued expenses and other current liabilities consist of the following (in millions):

	March 31, 2012		December 31, 2011
Accrued employee compensation and benefits	$	38	$	44
Accrued interest payable	35		24
Accrued dividends payable	21		21
Other	72		68
Total accrued expenses and other current liabilities	$	166	$	157

Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits Disclosure [Text Block]

Components of net periodic benefit cost are as follows for the three months ended March 31 (in millions):

	Defined Benefit Pension Plan						Other Postretirement Benefits				Non-Qualified Benefit Plans
	2012			2011			2012		2011		2012		2011
Service cost	$	3		$	3		$	1	$	1	$	—	$	—
Interest cost	8			7			1		1		1		1
Expected return on plan assets	(10		)	(10		)	—		—		—		—
Amortization of net actuarial loss	4			2			—		—		—		—
Net periodic benefit cost	$	5		$	2		$	2	$	2	$	1	$	1