<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001127602-09-000783
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20090102
<FILING-DATE>20090106
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20090106
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>Keenan John S
<CIK>0001347453
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-12609
<FILM-NUMBER>09511532
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<PHONE>(415) 973-4664
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>77 BEALE STREET, 32ND FLOOR
<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>form4.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2009-01-02</periodOfReport>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001347453</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Keenan John S</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O 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>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText>SVP and COO of PG&amp;E Company</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-01-02</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2371</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>38.81</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>36878.07</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-01-02</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2170.83</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>39048.9</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1648.64</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </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>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Represents Special Incentive Stock Ownership Premiums (SISOPs) (phantom stock) awarded pursuant to the PG&amp;E Corporation Executive Stock Ownership Program.  SISOPs vest three years after the date of grant subject to accelerated vesting upon certain events.  Unvested SISOPs are subject to forfeiture if certain stock ownership targets are not met.  Vested SISOPs are automatically payable in an equal number of shares following termination of employment.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Includes 6,093.90 SISOPs awarded pursuant to the PG&amp;E Corporation Executive Stock Ownership Program, and reflects the acquisition of 49.61 SISOPs on October 15, 2008 upon the conversion of dividend equivalents received on that date.  Also includes the acquisition of approximately 56.03 shares on October 15, 2008 due to reinvestment of dividends earned on shares of PG&amp;E Corporation common stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Represents the approximate number of shares of PG&amp;E Corporation common stock held for the reporting person in the PG&amp;E Corporation Stock Fund of 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 as of January 2, 2009, and reflect the acquisition of approximately 20.17 shares on October 15, 2008 due to dividend reinvestment.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Eileen O. Chan, attorney-in-fact for John S. Keenan (signed Power of Attorney on file with SEC)</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-01-06</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
