DEBT AND CREDIT FACILITIES - LINES OF CREDIT (Details)		12 Months Ended
	Jan. 17, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) lender line_of_credit	Jan. 16, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Letters of credit outstanding		$ 629,000,000
Commitment from syndicated banks for acquisition		$ 4,000,000,000
Sempra Energy Consolidated [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Number of primary lines of credit | line_of_credit		3
Weighted average interest rate on total short-term debt outstanding		1.92%		1.51%
Sempra South American Utilities [Member] | Peru [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Committed lines of credit, maximum borrowing capacity		$ 465,000,000
Line of credit outstanding		(169,000,000)
Committed lines of credit, remaining borrowing capacity		$ 296,000,000
Committed lines of credit, maximum debt to equity ratio		170.00%
Committed lines of credit, bank guarantee		$ 18,000,000
Sempra South American Utilities [Member] | Chile [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Committed lines of credit, maximum borrowing capacity		115,000,000
Line of credit outstanding		0
Committed lines of credit, remaining borrowing capacity		115,000,000
Sempra Mexico [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Committed lines of credit, maximum borrowing capacity		1,170,000,000
Line of credit outstanding		(137,000,000)
Committed lines of credit, remaining borrowing capacity		1,033,000,000
South America and Mexico [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Committed lines of credit, maximum borrowing capacity		1,750,000,000
Line of credit outstanding		(306,000,000)
Committed lines of credit, remaining borrowing capacity		1,444,000,000
Sempra Energy [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Committed lines of credit, maximum borrowing capacity		1,000,000,000
Committed lines of credit, remaining borrowing capacity		1,000,000,000
Committed lines of credit, capacity for issuance of letters of credit		$ 400,000,000
Committed lines of credit, maximum ratio of indebtedness to total capitalization		65.00%
Sempra Energy [Member] | Commercial paper [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Line of credit outstanding		$ 0
Sempra Global [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Committed lines of credit, maximum borrowing capacity		2,335,000,000
Committed lines of credit, remaining borrowing capacity		1,404,000,000
Sempra Global [Member] | Commercial paper [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Line of credit outstanding		(931,000,000)
Southern California Gas Company [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Committed lines of credit, maximum borrowing capacity		750,000,000
Committed lines of credit, remaining borrowing capacity		$ 634,000,000
Committed lines of credit, maximum ratio of indebtedness to total capitalization		65.00%
Weighted average interest rate on total short-term debt outstanding		1.64%		0.75%
Southern California Gas Company [Member] | Commercial paper [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Line of credit outstanding		$ (116,000,000)
San Diego Gas and Electric Company [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Committed lines of credit, maximum borrowing capacity		750,000,000
Committed lines of credit, remaining borrowing capacity		$ 497,000,000
Committed lines of credit, maximum ratio of indebtedness to total capitalization		65.00%
Weighted average interest rate on total short-term debt outstanding		1.65%
San Diego Gas and Electric Company [Member] | Commercial paper [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Line of credit outstanding		$ (253,000,000)
California Utilities [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Committed lines of credit, maximum borrowing capacity		1,000,000,000
Committed lines of credit, remaining borrowing capacity		631,000,000
Reduction in borrowing limit		(500,000,000)
Line of Credit Facility, Available Unused Credit Limit Reduction		(500,000,000)
Committed lines of credit, capacity for issuance of letters of credit		250,000,000
California Utilities [Member] | Commercial paper [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Line of credit outstanding		(369,000,000)
Reduction in borrowing limit		0
Sempra Energy Consolidated [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Committed lines of credit, maximum borrowing capacity		4,335,000,000
Committed lines of credit, remaining borrowing capacity		$ 3,035,000,000
Committed lines of credit, term		5 years
Committed lines of credit, number of lenders | lender		21
Lender maximum share of debt percent		7.00%
Sempra Energy Consolidated [Member] | Commercial paper [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Line of credit outstanding		$ (1,300,000,000)
Subsequent Event [Member] | Sempra Energy [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Committed lines of credit, maximum borrowing capacity	$ 1,250,000,000		$ 1,000,000,000
Increase in borrowing capacity	250,000,000
Subsequent Event [Member] | Sempra Global [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Committed lines of credit, maximum borrowing capacity	3,185,000,000		$ 2,335,000,000
Increase in borrowing capacity	$ 850,000,000