<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001004980-04-000246
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20041018
<FILING-DATE>20041019
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20041019
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>BILLER LESLIE S
<CIK>0001214522
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-12609
<FILM-NUMBER>041086204
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>10877 WILSHIRE BLVD 17TH FLOOR
<CITY>LOS ANGELES
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>90024
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>10877 WILSHIRE BLVD 17TH FLOOR
<CITY>LOS ANGELES
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>90024
</MAIL-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>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-10-18</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001004980</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>PG&amp;E CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>PCG</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001214522</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BILLER LESLIE S</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>10877 WILSHIRE BOULEVARD, SUITE 1702</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LOS ANGELES,</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>90024</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>734.48</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1051</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Held by Biller Revocable Trust</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Phantom Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-10-18</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>58.23</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>30.05</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>58.23</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>58.23</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Includes 734.48 units of phantom stock granted under the PG&amp;E Corporation Non-Employee Director Stock Incentive Plan, which are automatically payable in stock only.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">1 for 1</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">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="F4">Phantom stock is payable in accordance with the terms of the Deferred Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Eric Montizambert, Attorney-in-Fact for Leslie S. Biller (signed Power of Attorney on file with SEC)</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-10-19</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
