v3.4.0.3

DERIVATIVE NOTIONALS (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | ---
Mar. 31, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2015
Cash Flow Hedges |  |  |
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |
Derivative Liability Notional Amount | [1] | $ 381 | $ 384
Cash Flow Hedges | Cross Currency Interest Rate Contract [Member] |  |  |
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |
Derivative Liability Notional Amount |  | $ 408 | $ 408
Cash Flow Hedges | Minimum [Member] |  |  |
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |
Maturities of interest rate derivatives |  | 2016 | 2016
Cash Flow Hedges | Minimum [Member] | Cross Currency Interest Rate Contract [Member] |  |  |
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |
Maturities of interest rate derivatives |  | 2018 | 2018
Cash Flow Hedges | Maximum [Member] |  |  |
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |
Maturities of interest rate derivatives |  | 2028 | 2028
Cash Flow Hedges | Maximum [Member] | Cross Currency Interest Rate Contract [Member] |  |  |
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |
Maturities of interest rate derivatives |  | 2023 | 2023
Fair Value Hedges |  |  |
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |
Derivative Liability Notional Amount |  | $ 300 | $ 300
Fair Value Hedges | Maximum [Member] |  |  |
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |
Maturities of interest rate derivatives |  | 2016 | 2016
Undesignated Derivatives | Foreign Exchange Instrument |  |  |
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |
Derivative Liability Notional Amount |  | $ 550 | $ 0
Undesignated Derivatives | Maximum [Member] | Foreign Exchange Instrument |  |  |
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |
Maturities of interest rate derivatives |  | 2016 | 0
San Diego Gas and Electric Company [Member] | Cash Flow Hedges |  |  |
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |
Derivative Liability Notional Amount | [1] | $ 312 | $ 315
San Diego Gas and Electric Company [Member] | Cash Flow Hedges | Minimum [Member] |  |  |
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |
Maturities of interest rate derivatives |  | 2016 | 2016
San Diego Gas and Electric Company [Member] | Cash Flow Hedges | Maximum [Member] |  |  |
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |
Maturities of interest rate derivatives |  | 2019 | 2019
[1] | Amounts include Otay Mesa VIE. All of SDG&E’s interest rate derivative activity relates to Otay Mesa VIE.

X
- Definition Maturities of interest rate derivatives. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | sre_InterestRateDerivativesMaturities
Namespace Prefix: | sre_
Data Type: | us-types:durationStringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Nominal or face amount used to calculate payments on the derivative liability. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 815 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1B -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56946850&loc=SL5580258-113959 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Notional Amount -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6519104 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 815 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1A -Subparagraph (d) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56946850&loc=SL5579245-113959 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DerivativeLiabilityNotionalAmount
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DerivativesFairValueLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | sre_InterestRateDerivativesTypeAxis=us-gaap_CashFlowHedgingMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_CrossCurrencyInterestRateContractMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | sre_InterestRateDerivativesTypeAxis=us-gaap_FairValueHedgingMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | sre_InterestRateDerivativesTypeAxis=us-gaap_NondesignatedMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_ForeignExchangeMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | dei_LegalEntityAxis=sre_SanDiegoGasAndElectricCompanyMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |