<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001004980-03-000287
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20031217
<FILING-DATE>20031218
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>COULTER DAVID A
<CIK>0001179577
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-12609
<FILM-NUMBER>031063268
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>J.P. MORGAN CHASE & CO.
<STREET2>270 PARK AVE.
<CITY>NEW YORK
<STATE>NY
<ZIP>10017
<PHONE>2122706000
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>PG&E CORP
<CIK>0001004980
<ASSIGNED-SIC>4931
<IRS-NUMBER>943234914
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>CA
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>ONE MARKET SPEAR TOWER
<STREET2>SUITE 2400
<CITY>SAN FRANCISCO
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>94105
<PHONE>4152677000
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>ONE MARKET SPEAR TOWER
<STREET2>SUITE 2400
<CITY>SAN FRANCISCO
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>94105
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>PG&E PARENT CO INC
<DATE-CHANGED>19951214
</FORMER-COMPANY>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-12-17</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001004980</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>PG&amp;E CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>PCG</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001179577</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>COULTER DAVID A</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>J.P. MORGAN CHASE &amp; CO.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>270 PARK AVENUE, 9TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10017</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Phantom Stock</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><footnoteId id="F1"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-12-17</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>80.328</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>24.898</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F3"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><footnoteId id="F3"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>80.328</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>80.328</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">1 for 1</footnote><footnote id="F2">Phantom stock acquired upon deferral of compensation under the Deferred Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors; exempt under Rule 16b-3(d).  </footnote><footnote id="F3">Phantom stock is payable in accordance with the terms of the Deferred Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors.  </footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Eric Montizambert, Attorney-in-Fact for David A. Coulter (signed Power of Attorney on file with SEC)</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-12-18</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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</TEXT>
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