v2.4.1.9

OTHER FINANCIAL DATA - VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items]
Cost Of Electric Fuel And Purchased Power From Utilities	$ 481us-gaap_CostOfDomesticRegulatedElectric	$ 510us-gaap_CostOfDomesticRegulatedElectric
Other operation and maintenance	658us-gaap_OtherCostAndExpenseOperating	676us-gaap_OtherCostAndExpenseOperating
Depreciation and amortization	303us-gaap_DepreciationAndAmortization	286us-gaap_DepreciationAndAmortization
Other income (expense), net	39us-gaap_NonoperatingIncomeExpense	40us-gaap_NonoperatingIncomeExpense
Interest expense	134us-gaap_InterestExpense	136us-gaap_InterestExpense
Net income	458us-gaap_ProfitLoss	266us-gaap_ProfitLoss
Earnings attributable to noncontrolling interest	(21)us-gaap_NetIncomeLossAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest	(19)us-gaap_NetIncomeLossAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest
Earnings attributable to common shares	437us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	247us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss
Cameron LNG Holdings [Member]
Schedule Of Equity Method And Other Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method And Other Investments	969sre_Equitymethodandotherinvestments / sre_ScheduleofequitymethodandotherinvestmentsinvesteenameaxisAxis = sre_CameronlngholdingsmemberMember		1,007sre_Equitymethodandotherinvestments / sre_ScheduleofequitymethodandotherinvestmentsinvesteenameaxisAxis = sre_CameronlngholdingsmemberMember
Otay Mesa VIE [Member]
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items]
Cost Of Electric Fuel And Purchased Power From Utilities	(18)us-gaap_CostOfDomesticRegulatedElectric / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = sre_OwnershipInterestsHeldByOthersOtayMesaVieMember	(18)us-gaap_CostOfDomesticRegulatedElectric / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = sre_OwnershipInterestsHeldByOthersOtayMesaVieMember
Other operation and maintenance	4us-gaap_OtherCostAndExpenseOperating / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = sre_OwnershipInterestsHeldByOthersOtayMesaVieMember	5us-gaap_OtherCostAndExpenseOperating / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = sre_OwnershipInterestsHeldByOthersOtayMesaVieMember
Depreciation and amortization	6us-gaap_DepreciationAndAmortization / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = sre_OwnershipInterestsHeldByOthersOtayMesaVieMember	7us-gaap_DepreciationAndAmortization / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = sre_OwnershipInterestsHeldByOthersOtayMesaVieMember
Operating Expenses	(8)us-gaap_OperatingExpenses / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = sre_OwnershipInterestsHeldByOthersOtayMesaVieMember	(6)us-gaap_OperatingExpenses / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = sre_OwnershipInterestsHeldByOthersOtayMesaVieMember
Utility operating income	8us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = sre_OwnershipInterestsHeldByOthersOtayMesaVieMember	6us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = sre_OwnershipInterestsHeldByOthersOtayMesaVieMember
Interest expense	(4)us-gaap_InterestExpense / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = sre_OwnershipInterestsHeldByOthersOtayMesaVieMember	(4)us-gaap_InterestExpense / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = sre_OwnershipInterestsHeldByOthersOtayMesaVieMember
Net income	4us-gaap_ProfitLoss / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = sre_OwnershipInterestsHeldByOthersOtayMesaVieMember	2us-gaap_ProfitLoss / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = sre_OwnershipInterestsHeldByOthersOtayMesaVieMember
Earnings attributable to noncontrolling interest	(4)us-gaap_NetIncomeLossAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = sre_OwnershipInterestsHeldByOthersOtayMesaVieMember	(2)us-gaap_NetIncomeLossAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = sre_OwnershipInterestsHeldByOthersOtayMesaVieMember
Earnings attributable to common shares	0us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = sre_OwnershipInterestsHeldByOthersOtayMesaVieMember	0us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = sre_OwnershipInterestsHeldByOthersOtayMesaVieMember
Equity of variable interest entity	59us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityConsolidatedCarryingAmountAssetsAndLiabilitiesNet / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = sre_OwnershipInterestsHeldByOthersOtayMesaVieMember		60us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityConsolidatedCarryingAmountAssetsAndLiabilitiesNet / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = sre_OwnershipInterestsHeldByOthersOtayMesaVieMember
Secured debt of variable interest entity	$ 322us-gaap_SecuredDebt / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = sre_OwnershipInterestsHeldByOthersOtayMesaVieMember

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Cost of electricity sold during the reporting period, operations of which is regulated by a federal or state agency.

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Generally recurring costs associated with normal operations except for the portion of these expenses which can be clearly related to production and included in cost of sales or services. Includes selling, general and administrative expense.

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