v2.4.1.9

OTHER FINANCIAL DATA - INCOME TAXES (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified | 3 Months Ended
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Mar. 31, 2015 | Mar. 31, 2014
Income Tax Expense And Effective Income Tax Rates Disclosure [Line Items] |  |
Income tax expense (benefit) | $ 163 us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit | $ 127 us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Effective income tax rate | 27.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateContinuingOperations | 33.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateContinuingOperations
Charge To Reduce Certain Tax Regulatory Assets Attributable To Nuclear Plant |  | 17 sre_ChargeToReduceTaxRegulatoryAssetsAttributableToNuclearPlant
San Diego Gas and Electric Company [Member] |  |
Income Tax Expense And Effective Income Tax Rates Disclosure [Line Items] |  |
Income tax expense (benefit) | 88 us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit / dei_LegalEntityAxis = sre_SanDiegoGasAndElectricCompanyMember | 83 us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit / dei_LegalEntityAxis = sre_SanDiegoGasAndElectricCompanyMember
Effective income tax rate | 37.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateContinuingOperations / dei_LegalEntityAxis = sre_SanDiegoGasAndElectricCompanyMember | 45.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateContinuingOperations / dei_LegalEntityAxis = sre_SanDiegoGasAndElectricCompanyMember
Charge To Reduce Certain Tax Regulatory Assets Attributable To Nuclear Plant |  | 17 sre_ChargeToReduceTaxRegulatoryAssetsAttributableToNuclearPlant / dei_LegalEntityAxis = sre_SanDiegoGasAndElectricCompanyMember
Southern California Gas Company [Member] |  |
Income Tax Expense And Effective Income Tax Rates Disclosure [Line Items] |  |
Income tax expense (benefit) | $ 95 us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit / dei_LegalEntityAxis = sre_SouthernCaliforniaGasCompanyMember | $ 38 us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit / dei_LegalEntityAxis = sre_SouthernCaliforniaGasCompanyMember
Effective income tax rate | 31.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateContinuingOperations / dei_LegalEntityAxis = sre_SouthernCaliforniaGasCompanyMember | 33.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateContinuingOperations / dei_LegalEntityAxis = sre_SouthernCaliforniaGasCompanyMember

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- Definition Percentage of current income tax expense (benefit) and deferred income tax expense (benefit) pertaining to continuing operations. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 12 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32687-109319 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 13 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32698-109319 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(h)(2)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 08 -Paragraph h -Subparagraph 2 -Article 4 + Details
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