SEGMENT INFORMATION (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010		Dec. 31, 2009
Entity-Wide Revenue, Major Customer [Abstract]
Entity-Wide Revenue, Major Customer, Percentage	6.00%		8.00%		9.00%
Segment Reporting Information, Profit (Loss) [Abstract]
Segment reporting information, Revenues	$ 10,036		$ 9,003		$ 8,106
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Total Consolidated Revenues	100.00%		100.00%		100.00%
Segment reporting information, Interest Expense	465		436		367
Segment reporting information, Interest Income	26		16		21
Segment reporting information, Depreciation and Amortization	978		867		775
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Depreciation and Amortization	100.00%		100.00%		100.00%
Segment reporting information, Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	366		102		422
Segment reporting information, Earnings (Losses)	1,357		739		1,119
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Earnings (Losses)	100.00%		100.00%		100.00%
Segment Reporting Information, Additional Information [Abstract]
Segment reporting information, Expenditures for Property, Plant & Equipment	2,844		2,062		1,912
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Expenditures for Property, Plant & Equipment	100.00%		100.00%		100.00%
Segment reporting information, Assets	33,356		30,283		28,512
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Assets	100.00%		100.00%		100.00%
Entity-Wide Disclosure On Geographic Areas [Line Items]
Entity-Wide Disclosure on Geographic Areas, Long-Lived Assets in Individual Foreign Countries, Amount	25,243		22,827		22,604
Entity-Wide Disclosure On Geographic Areas, Long Lived Assets In Individual Foreign Countries, Percentage	100.00%		100.00%		100.00%
Entity-Wide Disclosure on Geographic Areas, Revenue from External Customers Attributed to Individual Foreign Countries, Amount	10,036		9,003		8,106
Entity-Wide Disclosure On Geographic Areas, Revenue From External Customers Attributed To Individual Foreign Countries, Percentage	100.00%		100.00%		100.00%
Entity-Wide Disclosure On Geographic Areas, United States [Member]
Entity-Wide Disclosure On Geographic Areas [Line Items]
Entity-Wide Disclosure on Geographic Areas, Long-Lived Assets in Individual Foreign Countries, Amount	21,505		19,905		19,870
Entity-Wide Disclosure On Geographic Areas, Long Lived Assets In Individual Foreign Countries, Percentage	85.00%		87.00%		88.00%
Entity-Wide Disclosure on Geographic Areas, Revenue from External Customers Attributed to Individual Foreign Countries, Amount	8,135		8,118		7,476
Entity-Wide Disclosure On Geographic Areas, Revenue From External Customers Attributed To Individual Foreign Countries, Percentage	81.00%		90.00%		92.00%
Entity-Wide Disclosure On Geographic Areas Mexico [Member]
Entity-Wide Disclosure On Geographic Areas [Line Items]
Entity-Wide Disclosure on Geographic Areas, Long-Lived Assets in Individual Foreign Countries, Amount	2,196		2,217		1,954
Entity-Wide Disclosure On Geographic Areas, Long Lived Assets In Individual Foreign Countries, Percentage	9.00%		10.00%		9.00%
Entity-Wide Disclosure on Geographic Areas, Revenue from External Customers Attributed to Individual Foreign Countries, Amount	821		884		629
Entity-Wide Disclosure On Geographic Areas, Revenue From External Customers Attributed To Individual Foreign Countries, Percentage	8.00%		10.00%		8.00%
Entity-Wide Disclosure On Geographic Areas, South America [Member]
Entity-Wide Disclosure On Geographic Areas [Line Items]
Entity-Wide Disclosure on Geographic Areas, Long-Lived Assets in Individual Foreign Countries, Amount	1,542		705		780
Entity-Wide Disclosure On Geographic Areas, Long Lived Assets In Individual Foreign Countries, Percentage	6.00%		3.00%		3.00%
Entity-Wide Disclosure on Geographic Areas, Revenue from External Customers Attributed to Individual Foreign Countries, Amount	1,080		1		1
Entity-Wide Disclosure On Geographic Areas, Revenue From External Customers Attributed To Individual Foreign Countries, Percentage	11.00%
S D G E Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information, Profit (Loss) [Abstract]
Segment reporting information, Revenues	3,373		3,049		2,916
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Total Consolidated Revenues	34.00%		34.00%		36.00%
Segment reporting information, Interest Expense	142		136		104
Segment reporting information, Interest Income					1
Segment reporting information, Depreciation and Amortization	422		381		329
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Depreciation and Amortization	43.00%		44.00%		42.00%
Segment reporting information, Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	237		173		177
Segment reporting information, Earnings (Losses)	431	[1]	369	[1]	344	[1]
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Earnings (Losses)	32.00%		50.00%		31.00%
Segment Reporting Information, Additional Information [Abstract]
Segment reporting information, Expenditures for Property, Plant & Equipment	1,831		1,210		955
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Expenditures for Property, Plant & Equipment	64.00%		59.00%		50.00%
Segment reporting information, Assets	13,555		12,077		10,229
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Assets	41.00%		40.00%		36.00%
Segment Reporting Information, Intersegment Revenue	6		6		7
So Cal Gas Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information, Profit (Loss) [Abstract]
Segment reporting information, Revenues	3,816		3,822		3,355
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Total Consolidated Revenues	38.00%		42.00%		41.00%
Segment reporting information, Interest Expense	69		66		68
Segment reporting information, Interest Income	1		1		3
Segment reporting information, Depreciation and Amortization	331		309		293
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Depreciation and Amortization	34.00%		36.00%		38.00%
Segment reporting information, Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	143		176		144
Segment reporting information, Earnings (Losses)	287	[1]	286	[1]	273	[1]
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Earnings (Losses)	21.00%		39.00%		25.00%
Segment Reporting Information, Additional Information [Abstract]
Segment reporting information, Expenditures for Property, Plant & Equipment	683		503		480
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Expenditures for Property, Plant & Equipment	24.00%		24.00%		25.00%
Segment reporting information, Assets	8,475		7,986		7,287
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Assets	25.00%		26.00%		25.00%
Segment Reporting Information, Intersegment Revenue	53		44		43
Sempra Generation Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information, Profit (Loss) [Abstract]
Segment reporting information, Revenues	886		1,172		1,179
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Total Consolidated Revenues	9.00%		13.00%		15.00%
Segment reporting information, Interest Expense	13		13		12
Segment reporting information, Interest Income	8		16		12
Segment reporting information, Depreciation and Amortization	70		65		58
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Depreciation and Amortization	7.00%		7.00%		8.00%
Segment reporting information, Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	(3)		(7)		108
Segment reporting information, Earnings (Losses)	137		103		169
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Earnings (Losses)	10.00%		14.00%		15.00%
Segment Reporting Information, Additional Information [Abstract]
Segment reporting information, Expenditures for Property, Plant & Equipment	267		135		38
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Expenditures for Property, Plant & Equipment	9.00%		7.00%		2.00%
Segment reporting information, Assets	2,285		2,401		2,049
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Assets	7.00%		8.00%		7.00%
Segment Reporting Information, Intersegment Revenue	1
Sempra Pipelines and Storage Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information, Profit (Loss) [Abstract]
Segment reporting information, Revenues	1,443		350		465
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Total Consolidated Revenues	14.00%		4.00%		6.00%
Segment reporting information, Interest Expense	77		36		34
Segment reporting information, Interest Income	31		15		17
Segment reporting information, Depreciation and Amortization	92		44		45
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Depreciation and Amortization	10.00%		5.00%		6.00%
Segment reporting information, Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	70		26		(20)
Segment reporting information, Earnings (Losses)	527		159		101
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Earnings (Losses)	39.00%		21.00%		9.00%
Segment Reporting Information, Additional Information [Abstract]
Segment reporting information, Expenditures for Property, Plant & Equipment	252		192		200
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Expenditures for Property, Plant & Equipment	9.00%		9.00%		11.00%
Segment reporting information, Assets	7,146		5,175		4,485
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Assets	21.00%		17.00%		16.00%
Segment Reporting Information, Intersegment Revenue	47		46		37
Sempra L N G Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information, Profit (Loss) [Abstract]
Segment reporting information, Revenues	714		711		278
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Total Consolidated Revenues	7.00%		8.00%		3.00%
Segment reporting information, Interest Expense	42		48		24
Segment reporting information, Interest Income	4		1
Segment reporting information, Depreciation and Amortization	51		51		35
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Depreciation and Amortization	5.00%		6.00%		4.00%
Segment reporting information, Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	42		25		(15)
Segment reporting information, Earnings (Losses)	99		68		16
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Earnings (Losses)	7.00%		9.00%		1.00%
Segment Reporting Information, Additional Information [Abstract]
Segment reporting information, Expenditures for Property, Plant & Equipment	11		18		235
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Expenditures for Property, Plant & Equipment	1.00%		1.00%		12.00%
Segment reporting information, Assets	2,411		2,379		2,277
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Assets	7.00%		8.00%		8.00%
Segment Reporting Information, Intersegment Revenue	88
All Other Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information, Profit (Loss) [Abstract]
Segment reporting information, Interest Expense	233		244		229
Segment reporting information, Interest Income			1
Segment reporting information, Depreciation and Amortization	12		17		15
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Depreciation and Amortization	1.00%		2.00%		2.00%
Segment reporting information, Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	(123)		(291)		28
Segment reporting information, Earnings (Losses)	(124)		(246)		216
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Earnings (Losses)	(9.00%)		(33.00%)		19.00%
Segment Reporting Information, Additional Information [Abstract]
Segment reporting information, Expenditures for Property, Plant & Equipment	5		4		4
Segment reporting information, Assets	553		1,691		2,775
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Assets	2.00%		6.00%		10.00%
Intercompany Eliminations Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information, Profit (Loss) [Abstract]
Segment reporting information, Revenues	(1)		(5)
Segment reporting information, Interest Expense	(111)	[2]	(107)	[2]	(104)	[2]
Segment reporting information, Interest Income	(18)	[2]	(18)	[2]	(12)	[2]
Segment Reporting Information, Additional Information [Abstract]
Segment reporting information, Expenditures for Property, Plant & Equipment	(205)	[3]
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Expenditures for Property, Plant & Equipment	(7.00%)	[3]
Intersegment Revenues Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information, Profit (Loss) [Abstract]
Segment reporting information, Revenues	(195)	[4]	(96)	[4]	(87)	[4]
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Total Consolidated Revenues	(2.00%)		(1.00%)		(1.00%)
Intersegment Receivables Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information, Additional Information [Abstract]
Segment reporting information, Assets	$ (1,069)		$ (1,426)		$ (590)
Segment reporting information, Percentage of Consolidated Assets	(3.00%)		(5.00%)		(2.00%)

[1] After preferred dividends.

[2] Prior year amounts have been revised to present amounts after eliminations between Parent and corporate entities.

[3] Amount represents elimination of intercompany sale of El Dorado power plant in 2011, as discussed in Note 14.

[4] Revenues for reportable segments include intersegment revenues of:$6 million, $53 million and $47 million for 2011, $6 million, $44 million and $46 million for 2010, and $7 million, $43 million and $37 million for 2009 for SDG&E, SoCalGas and Sempra Pipelines & Storage, respectively. Revenues in 2011 also included $88 million and $1 million of intersegment revenues at Sempra LNG and Sempra Generation, respectively.