<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001127602-09-006619
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20090309
<FILING-DATE>20090310
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20090310
<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>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>ANDREWS DAVID R
<CIK>0001186178
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-12609
<FILM-NUMBER>09670826
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>700 ANDERSON HILL ROAD
<CITY>PURCHASE
<STATE>NY
<ZIP>10577
<PHONE>415-440-2066
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>1020 UNION STREET
<CITY>SAN FRANCISCO
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>94133
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<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>2009-03-09</periodOfReport>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001186178</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ANDREWS DAVID R</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>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-03-09</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1266</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>6951</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Held By Andrews Revocable Trust</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-03-09</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>281.45</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1713.69</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>35.53</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-03-09</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>6363</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2019-03-09</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>6363</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>6363</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Restricted shares granted under the PG&amp;E Corporation 2006 Long-Term Incentive Plan (LTIP).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) granted under the PG&amp;E Corporation 2006 LTIP.  RSUs are payable in shares of PG&amp;E Corporation common stock on a one-for-one basis upon a director's death, disability, retirement, or a change in control, as defined in the PG&amp;E Corporation 2006 LTIP.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">This total includes 881.35 units of phantom stock granted under the PG&amp;E Corporation Non-Employee Director Stock Incentive Plan (SIP), and reflects the acquisition of 8.42 units of phantom stock on 4/15/08, 8.59 units of phantom stock on 7/15/08, 11.03 units of phantom stock on 10/15/08, and 9.27 units on 1/15/09 pursuant to a dividend reinvestment feature of the SIP.  This total also includes 832.33 RSUs granted under the PG&amp;E Corporation 2006 LTIP and reflects the acquisition of 5.26 RSUs on 4/15/08, 5.37 RSUs on 7/15/08, 6.89 RSUs on 10/15/08, and 5.79 RSUs on 1/15/09 pursuant to a dividend reinvestment feature of the 2006 LTIP.  The phantom stock units and RSUs are automatically payable in shares of PG&amp;E Corporation common stock only.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Options become exercisable as to 33% of the options on the second anniversary of the date of grant, as to 66% on the third anniversary, and as to 100% on the fourth anniversary.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Eric A. Montizambert, attorney-in-fact for David R. Andrews (signed Power of Attorney on file with SEC)</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-03-10</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
