<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001004980-04-000268
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20041105
<FILING-DATE>20041108
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20041108
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>JOHNS CHRISTOPHER P
<CIK>0001188488
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-12609
<FILM-NUMBER>041127137
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>ONE MARKET SPEAR TOWER STE 2400
<CITY>SAN FRANCISCO
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>94105
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>ONE MARKET SPEAR TOWER STE 2400
<CITY>SAN FRANCISCO
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>94105
</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>2004-11-05</periodOfReport>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001188488</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>JOHNS CHRISTOPHER P</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>PG&amp;E CORPORATION</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>ONE MARKET, SPEAR TOWER, SUITE 2400</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SAN FRANCISCO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94105</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>SVP and Controller</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>23194</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>1628.08</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Held by Trustee of PG&amp;E Corporation Retirement Savings Plan</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Phantom Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-11-05</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>I</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>3012.68</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>32.70</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>3012.68</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>3012.68</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Includes 2,724 Special Incentive Stock Ownership Premiums (SISOPs) (phantom stock) awarded pursuant to PG&amp;E Corporation Executive Stock Ownership Program.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Represents the approximate number of shares of PG&amp;E Corporation common stock held for the reporting person in the PG&amp;E Corporation Retirement Savings  Plan (RSP).  That fund holds units consisting of PG&amp;E Corporation common stock and a small short-term investments component.  The number of shares is computed by dividing the value of the units by the daily closing price.  Dividends are automatically invested in additional units at the election of the participant.  Holdings have been trued up to conform to RSP balance at July 9, 2004.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">1 for 1</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Intraplan transfer of shares into the PG&amp;E Corporation Phantom Stock Fund of the PG&amp;E Corporation Supplemental Retirement Savings Plan (SRSP).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Shares of phantom stock are payable in cash following termination of the reporting person's employment and are subject to earlier distribution or transfer in accordance with the SRSP.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Eric Montizambert, Attorney-in-Fact for Christopher P. Johns (signed Power of Attorney on file with SEC)</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-11-08</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

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