DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS 3 (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012
Fixed Price Contracts And Other Derivatives, Current Assets [Member]
Derivative Instruments in Hedges, at Fair Value, Net [Abstract]
Interest rate and foreign exchange instruments	$ 15	[1]	$ 7	[1]
Commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery	5		1
Other Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments at Fair Value, Net, Total [Abstract]
Interest rate and foreign exchange instruments	9		8
Commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery	67		117
Associated offsetting commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery	(55)		(102)
Associated cash collateral commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery	0		0
Commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	6		30
Associated cash collateral commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	0		0
Associated offsetting commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	(2)		(4)
Net amount presented on balance sheet	45		57
Additional margin posted for commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery	14		22
Additional margin posted for commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	17		13
Total	76		92
Fixed Price Contracts And Other Derivatives, Current Assets [Member] | San Diego Gas and Electric Company and Subsidiary [Member]
Derivative Instruments in Hedges, at Fair Value, Net [Abstract]
Interest rate and foreign exchange instruments	0	[1]	0	[1]
Other Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments at Fair Value, Net, Total [Abstract]
Commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	5		28
Associated cash collateral commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	0		0
Associated offsetting commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	(1)		(3)
Net amount presented on balance sheet	4		25
Additional margin posted for commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery	2	[2]	1	[2]
Additional margin posted for commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	15		12
Total	21		38
Fixed Price Contracts And Other Derivatives, Current Assets [Member] | Southern California Gas Company [Member]
Other Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments at Fair Value, Net, Total [Abstract]
Commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	1	[3]	2	[3]
Associated offsetting commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	(1)	[3]	(1)	[3]
Net amount presented on balance sheet	0	[3]	1	[3]
Additional margin posted for commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery	3	[2],[3]	2	[2],[3]
Additional margin posted for commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	2	[3]	1	[3]
Total	5	[3]	4	[3]
Fixed Price Contracts And Other Derivatives, Noncurrent Assets [Member]
Derivative Instruments in Hedges, at Fair Value, Net [Abstract]
Interest rate and foreign exchange instruments	13	[1]	12	[1]
Commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery	0		0
Other Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments at Fair Value, Net, Total [Abstract]
Interest rate and foreign exchange instruments	26		40
Commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery	11		15
Associated offsetting commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery	(8)		(12)
Associated cash collateral commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery	0		0
Commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	49		35
Associated cash collateral commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	0		0
Associated offsetting commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	(1)		0
Net amount presented on balance sheet	90		90
Additional margin posted for commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery	0		0
Additional margin posted for commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	0		0
Total	90		90
Fixed Price Contracts And Other Derivatives, Noncurrent Assets [Member] | San Diego Gas and Electric Company and Subsidiary [Member]
Derivative Instruments in Hedges, at Fair Value, Net [Abstract]
Interest rate and foreign exchange instruments	0	[1]	0	[1]
Other Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments at Fair Value, Net, Total [Abstract]
Commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	49		35
Associated cash collateral commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	0		0
Associated offsetting commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	(1)		0
Net amount presented on balance sheet	48		35
Additional margin posted for commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery	0	[2]	0	[2]
Additional margin posted for commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	0		0
Total	48		35
Fixed Price Contracts And Other Derivatives, Noncurrent Assets [Member] | Southern California Gas Company [Member]
Other Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments at Fair Value, Net, Total [Abstract]
Commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	0		0
Associated offsetting commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	0		0
Net amount presented on balance sheet	0		0
Additional margin posted for commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery	0	[2]	0	[2]
Additional margin posted for commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	0		0
Total	0		0
Fixed Price Contracts And Other Derivatives, Current Liabilities [Member]
Derivative Instruments in Hedges, at Fair Value, Net [Abstract]
Interest rate and foreign exchange instruments	(19)	[1]	(19)	[1]
Commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery	0		0
Other Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments at Fair Value, Net, Total [Abstract]
Interest rate and foreign exchange instruments	(7)		(8)
Commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery	(70)		(116)
Associated offsetting commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery	55		102
Associated cash collateral commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery	6		4
Commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	(23)		(35)
Associated cash collateral commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	12		22
Associated offsetting commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	2		4
Net amount presented on balance sheet	(44)		(46)
Additional margin posted for commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery	0		0
Additional margin posted for commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	0		0
Total	(44)		(46)
Fixed Price Contracts And Other Derivatives, Current Liabilities [Member] | San Diego Gas and Electric Company and Subsidiary [Member]
Derivative Instruments in Hedges, at Fair Value, Net [Abstract]
Interest rate and foreign exchange instruments	(16)	[1]	(17)	[1]
Other Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments at Fair Value, Net, Total [Abstract]
Commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	(22)		(33)
Associated cash collateral commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	12		22
Associated offsetting commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	1		3
Net amount presented on balance sheet	(25)		(25)
Additional margin posted for commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery	0	[2]	0	[2]
Additional margin posted for commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	0		0
Total	(25)		(25)
Fixed Price Contracts And Other Derivatives, Current Liabilities [Member] | Southern California Gas Company [Member]
Other Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments at Fair Value, Net, Total [Abstract]
Commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	(1)	[4]	(2)	[4]
Associated offsetting commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	1	[4]	1	[4]
Net amount presented on balance sheet	0	[4]	(1)	[4]
Additional margin posted for commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery	0	[4]	0	[2],[4]
Additional margin posted for commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	0	[4]	0	[2]
Total	0	[4]	(1)	[4]
Fixed Price Contracts And Other Derivatives, Noncurrent Liabilities [Member]
Derivative Instruments in Hedges, at Fair Value, Net [Abstract]
Interest rate and foreign exchange instruments	(77)	[1]	(64)	[1]
Commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery	0		0
Other Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments at Fair Value, Net, Total [Abstract]
Interest rate and foreign exchange instruments	(21)		(35)
Commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery	(10)		(27)
Associated offsetting commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery	8		12
Associated cash collateral commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery	1		7
Commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	(8)		(1)
Associated cash collateral commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	1		1
Associated offsetting commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	1		0
Net amount presented on balance sheet	(105)		(107)
Additional margin posted for commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery	0		0
Additional margin posted for commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	0		0
Total	(105)		(107)
Fixed Price Contracts And Other Derivatives, Noncurrent Liabilities [Member] | San Diego Gas and Electric Company and Subsidiary [Member]
Derivative Instruments in Hedges, at Fair Value, Net [Abstract]
Interest rate and foreign exchange instruments	(43)	[1]	(64)	[1]
Other Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments at Fair Value, Net, Total [Abstract]
Commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	(8)		(1)
Associated cash collateral commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	1		1
Associated offsetting commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	1		0
Net amount presented on balance sheet	(49)		(64)
Additional margin posted for commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery	0	[2]	0	[2]
Additional margin posted for commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	0		0
Total	(49)		(64)
Fixed Price Contracts And Other Derivatives, Noncurrent Liabilities [Member] | Southern California Gas Company [Member]
Other Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments at Fair Value, Net, Total [Abstract]
Commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	0		0
Associated offsetting commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	0		0
Net amount presented on balance sheet	0		0
Additional margin posted for commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery	0	[2]	0	[2]
Additional margin posted for commodity contracts subject to rate recovery	0		0
Total	$ 0		$ 0

[1] Includes Otay Mesa VIE. All of SDG&E’s amounts relate to Otay Mesa VIE.

[2] Includes cash collateral not offset related to a negligible amount of commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery.

[3] Included in Current Assets: Other for SoCalGas.

[4] Included in Current Liabilities: Other for SoCalGas.