Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity (Details) (USD $) In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period			$ 11,191	$ 11,086
Net income	463	215	689	423
Other comprehensive income (loss)	3	(11)	8	(29)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests				238
Transfer of assets to Capistrano Wind Partners				(21)
Common stock dividends declared			(330)	(318)
Dividends, distributions to noncontrolling interests and other			(75)	(68)
Stock-based compensation and other			(40)	(45)
Noncash stock-based compensation and other			12	25
Issuance of preference stock			387	804
Redemption of preference stock			(400)	(75)
Balance, at the end of the period	11,442	12,020	11,442	12,020
Dividends declared per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.3375	$ 0.325	$ 1.0125	$ 0.975
Common Stock Including Additional Paid in Capital [Member]
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period			2,373	2,360
Net income			0	0
Other comprehensive income (loss)			0	0
Contributions from noncontrolling interests				0
Transfer of assets to Capistrano Wind Partners				(21)
Common stock dividends declared			0	0
Dividends, distributions to noncontrolling interests and other			0	0
Stock-based compensation and other			5	19
Noncash stock-based compensation and other			19	27
Issuance of preference stock			0	0
Redemption of preference stock			0	0
Balance, at the end of the period	2,397	2,385	2,397	2,385
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period			(87)	(139)
Net income			0	0
Other comprehensive income (loss)			8	(29)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests				0
Transfer of assets to Capistrano Wind Partners				0
Common stock dividends declared			0	0
Dividends, distributions to noncontrolling interests and other			0	0
Stock-based compensation and other			0	0
Noncash stock-based compensation and other			0	0
Issuance of preference stock			0	0
Redemption of preference stock			0	0
Balance, at the end of the period	(79)	(168)	(79)	(168)
Retained Earnings
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period			7,146	7,834
Net income			614	357
Other comprehensive income (loss)			0	0
Contributions from noncontrolling interests				0
Transfer of assets to Capistrano Wind Partners				0
Common stock dividends declared			(330)	(318)
Dividends, distributions to noncontrolling interests and other			0	0
Stock-based compensation and other			(45)	(64)
Noncash stock-based compensation and other			(6)	(2)
Issuance of preference stock			0	0
Redemption of preference stock			(8)	(1)
Balance, at the end of the period	7,371	7,806	7,371	7,806
Subtotal
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period			9,432	10,055
Net income			614	357
Other comprehensive income (loss)			8	(29)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests				0
Transfer of assets to Capistrano Wind Partners				(21)
Common stock dividends declared			(330)	(318)
Dividends, distributions to noncontrolling interests and other			0	0
Stock-based compensation and other			(40)	(45)
Noncash stock-based compensation and other			13	25
Issuance of preference stock			0	0
Redemption of preference stock			(8)	(1)
Balance, at the end of the period	9,689	10,023	9,689	10,023
Other Noncontrolling Interests
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period				2
Net income				0
Other comprehensive income (loss)				0
Contributions from noncontrolling interests				238
Transfer of assets to Capistrano Wind Partners				0
Common stock dividends declared				0
Dividends, distributions to noncontrolling interests and other				(2)
Stock-based compensation and other				0
Noncash stock-based compensation and other				0
Issuance of preference stock				0
Redemption of preference stock				0
Balance, at the end of the period		238		238
Preferred Stock and Preference Stock
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period			1,759	1,029
Net income			75	66
Other comprehensive income (loss)			0	0
Contributions from noncontrolling interests				0
Transfer of assets to Capistrano Wind Partners				0
Common stock dividends declared			0	0
Dividends, distributions to noncontrolling interests and other			(75)	(66)
Stock-based compensation and other			0	0
Noncash stock-based compensation and other			(1)	0
Issuance of preference stock			387	804
Redemption of preference stock			(392)	(74)
Balance, at the end of the period	1,753	1,759	1,753	1,759
Southern California Edison
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period			11,743	9,958
Net income	502	388	717	802
Other comprehensive income (loss)	2	1	1	1
Common stock dividends declared			(360)	(349)
Dividends declared on preferred and preference stock			(75)	(66)
Stock-based compensation and other			(36)	(24)
Noncash stock-based compensation and other			14	13
Issuance of preference stock			387	804
Redemption of preference stock			(400)	(75)
Balance, at the end of the period	11,991	11,064	11,991	11,064
Southern California Edison | Common Stock
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period			2,168	2,168
Net income			0	0
Other comprehensive income (loss)			0	0
Common stock dividends declared			0	0
Dividends declared on preferred and preference stock			0	0
Stock-based compensation and other			0	0
Noncash stock-based compensation and other			0	0
Issuance of preference stock			0	0
Redemption of preference stock			0	0
Balance, at the end of the period	2,168	2,168	2,168	2,168
Southern California Edison | Additional Paid-in Capital
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period			581	596
Net income			0	0
Other comprehensive income (loss)			0	0
Common stock dividends declared			0	0
Dividends declared on preferred and preference stock			0	0
Stock-based compensation and other			3	11
Noncash stock-based compensation and other			10	13
Issuance of preference stock			(13)	(21)
Redemption of preference stock			8	1
Balance, at the end of the period	589	600	589	600
Southern California Edison | Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period			(29)	(24)
Net income			0	0
Other comprehensive income (loss)			1	1
Common stock dividends declared			0	0
Dividends declared on preferred and preference stock			0	0
Stock-based compensation and other			0	0
Noncash stock-based compensation and other			0	0
Issuance of preference stock			0	0
Redemption of preference stock			0	0
Balance, at the end of the period	(28)	(23)	(28)	(23)
Southern California Edison | Retained Earnings
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period			7,228	6,173
Net income			717	802
Other comprehensive income (loss)			0	0
Common stock dividends declared			(360)	(349)
Dividends declared on preferred and preference stock			(75)	(66)
Stock-based compensation and other			(39)	(35)
Noncash stock-based compensation and other			4	0
Issuance of preference stock			0	0
Redemption of preference stock			(8)	(1)
Balance, at the end of the period	7,467	6,524	7,467	6,524
Southern California Edison | Preferred Stock and Preference Stock
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period			1,795	1,045
Net income			0	0
Other comprehensive income (loss)			0	0
Common stock dividends declared			0	0
Dividends declared on preferred and preference stock			0	0
Stock-based compensation and other			0	0
Noncash stock-based compensation and other			0	0
Issuance of preference stock			400	825
Redemption of preference stock			(400)	(75)
Balance, at the end of the period	$ 1,795	$ 1,795	$ 1,795	$ 1,795