v2.4.1.9

FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS 3 (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward]
Balance at beginning of period	$ 107us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetValue	$ 99us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetValue
Realized and unrealized gains (losses)	6us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetGainLossIncludedInEarnings1	1us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetGainLossIncludedInEarnings1
Allocated transmission instruments	0sre_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetAllocatedTransmissionInstruments	1sre_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetAllocatedTransmissionInstruments
Settlements	(11)us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetSettlements	(6)us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetSettlements
Balance at end of period	102us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetValue	95us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetValue
Change in unrealized gains (losses) relating to instruments still held at period end	1sre_FairValueAssetsMeasuredOnRecurringBasisChangeInUnrealizedGainLossIncludedInCostOfElectricFuelAndPurchasedPower	0sre_FairValueAssetsMeasuredOnRecurringBasisChangeInUnrealizedGainLossIncludedInCostOfElectricFuelAndPurchasedPower
CRR Auction Rate Per MWh, Minimum	(16)sre_CRRAuctionRatePerMWHourMinimum	(6)sre_CRRAuctionRatePerMWHourMinimum
CRR Auction Rate Per MWh, Maximum	$ 8sre_CRRAuctionRatePerMWHourMaximum	$ 12sre_CRRAuctionRatePerMWHourMaximum

X

- Definition

CRR auction rate per MWh, maximum.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	sre_CRRAuctionRatePerMWHourMaximum
Namespace Prefix:	sre_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

CRR auction rate per MWh, minimum.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	sre_CRRAuctionRatePerMWHourMinimum
Namespace Prefix:	sre_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Change in unrealized gains (losses) relating to instruments still held at period end.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	sre_FairValueAssetsMeasuredOnRecurringBasisChangeInUnrealizedGainLossIncludedInCostOfElectricFuelAndPurchasedPower
Namespace Prefix:	sre_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Fair value measurement with unobservable inputs reconciliation recurring basis asset allocated transmission instruments.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	sre_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetAllocatedTransmissionInstruments
Namespace Prefix:	sre_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueAssetsMeasuredOnRecurringBasisUnobservableInputReconciliationCalculationRollForward
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Amount of gain (loss) recognized in the income statement for financial instrument classified as an asset measured using unobservable inputs that reflect the entity's own assumption about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 820

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (c)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=36462937&loc=d3e19207-110258

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetGainLossIncludedInEarnings1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Amount of settlement of financial instrument classified as an asset measured using unobservable inputs that reflect the entity's own assumption about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 820

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (c)(2)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=36462937&loc=d3e19207-110258

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetSettlements
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Fair value of financial instrument classified as an asset measured using unobservable inputs that reflect the entity's own assumption about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 820

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=36462937&loc=d3e19207-110258

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant