<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001004980-05-000193
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20050815
<FILING-DATE>20050816
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20050816
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>JACKSON RUSSELL M
<CIK>0001301134
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-12609
<FILM-NUMBER>051031964
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<PHONE>415-267-7019
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>ONE MARKET, SPEAR TOWER, SUITE 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>2005-08-15</periodOfReport>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001301134</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>JACKSON RUSSELL M</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 - Human Resources</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-08-15</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>4800</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>16.01</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>15804</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-08-15</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>4800</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>37.00</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>11004</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>331.83</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </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>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>16.01</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-08-15</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>4800</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2005-08-15</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2014-08-16</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>4800</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">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.  These holdings have been trued up to conform to the RSP balance at August 15, 2005, and reflect the acquisition of approximately 5.62 shares on July 15, 2005, due to dividend reinvestment.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Eric Montizambert, Attorney-in-Fact for Russell M. Jackson (signed Power of Attorney on file with SEC)</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-08-16</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
