Name:	pcg_FireFightingCostsRequestedByCalFire
Namespace Prefix:	pcg_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Loss Contingency, Number Of Plaintiffs, Fire Districts

No definition available.

Name:	pcg_LossContingencyNumberOfPlaintiffsFireDistricts
Namespace Prefix:	pcg_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Loss Contingency, Number Of Plaintiffs, Smaller Public Entities

No definition available.

Name:	pcg_LossContingencyNumberOfPlaintiffsSmallerPublicEntities
Namespace Prefix:	pcg_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Loss Contingency, Number Of Previous Appellate Courts Decisions

No definition available.

Name:	pcg_LossContingencyNumberOfPreviousAppellateCourtsDecisions
Namespace Prefix:	pcg_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Loss Contingency, Number Of Vegetation Management Contractors Dismissed From Complaints

No definition available.

Name:	pcg_LossContingencyNumberOfVegetationManagementContractorsDismissedFromComplaints
Namespace Prefix:	pcg_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Acres burned down in the Butte Fire.

No definition available.

Name:	pcg_NumberOfAcresBurned
Namespace Prefix:	pcg_
Data Type:	num:areaItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Number of commercial properties that were destroyed in the Butte Fire.

No definition available.

Name:	pcg_NumberOfCommercialPropertiesBurnedByFire
Namespace Prefix:	pcg_
Data Type:	xbrli:positiveIntegerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Number of complaints filed against the Utility and its vegetation management contractors in the Superior Court of California related to the Butte Fire

No definition available.

Name:	pcg_NumberOfComplaintsFiledAgainstUtility
Namespace Prefix:	pcg_
Data Type:	xbrli:positiveIntegerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Fatalities that were caused by the Butte Fire.

No definition available.

Name:	pcg_NumberOfFatalitiesCausedByFire
Namespace Prefix:	pcg_
Data Type:	xbrli:positiveIntegerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Number of homes that were destroyed in the Butte Fire.

No definition available.

Name:	pcg_NumberOfHomesBurnedByFire
Namespace Prefix:	pcg_
Data Type:	xbrli:positiveIntegerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Number of households represented in court by about 1,600 plaintiffs.

No definition available.

Name:	pcg_NumberOfHouseholdsRepresentedInCourt
Namespace Prefix:	pcg_
Data Type:	xbrli:positiveIntegerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Number of outbuildings that were destroyed in the Butte Fire.

No definition available.

Name:	pcg_NumberOfOutbuildingsBurnedByFire
Namespace Prefix:	pcg_
Data Type:	xbrli:positiveIntegerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Number of plaintiffs in third party lawsuits

No definition available.

Name:	pcg_NumberOfPlaintiffs
Namespace Prefix:	pcg_
Data Type:	xbrli:positiveIntegerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Number of structures reported damaged in the Butte fire

No definition available.

Name:	pcg_NumberOfStructuresDamaged
Namespace Prefix:	pcg_
Data Type:	xbrli:positiveIntegerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Claim by the officer of emergency services of California seeking recovery of costs related to Butte Fire

No definition available.

Name:	pcg_OfficeOfEmergencyServicesClaim
Namespace Prefix:	pcg_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Payments made in relation to Butte Fire

No definition available.

Name:	pcg_PaymentsForClaims
Namespace Prefix:	pcg_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Probable Insurance Recoveries related to losses from the Butte Fire

No definition available.

Name:	pcg_ProbableInsuranceRecoveries
Namespace Prefix:	pcg_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

Settlement Agreements Paid By The Utility related to Butte Fire

No definition available.

Name:	pcg_SettlementAgreementPaidByTheUtility
Namespace Prefix:	pcg_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Settlement Agreements Entered By Utility related to the Butte Fire

No definition available.

Name:	pcg_SettlementAgreementsEnteredByUtility
Namespace Prefix:	pcg_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Total Amount To Repair Facilities

No definition available.

Name:	pcg_TotalAmountToRepairFacilities
Namespace Prefix:	pcg_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Utility liability insurance for damages

No definition available.

Name:	pcg_UtilityLiabilityInsuranceForDamages
Namespace Prefix:	pcg_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Vegetation management contractors hired by the Utility

No definition available.

Name:	pcg_VegetationManagementContractors
Namespace Prefix:	pcg_
Data Type:	xbrli:positiveIntegerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

The increase (decrease) during the reporting period in insurance settlements receivable, which are amounts due in settlement of a claim for reimbursement from an insurance company when the Company has suffered a loss covered under an insurance policy. The expectation is that such reimbursement will be received within one year of the balance sheet date.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118932676&loc=d3e3602-108585

Name:	us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInInsuranceSettlementsReceivable
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

The amount recovered from insurance. These recoveries reduce costs and losses that are reported as a separate line item under operating expenses.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116634182&loc=SL114868664-224227

Name:	us-gaap_InsuranceRecoveries
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

Amount due in settlement of a claim for reimbursement from an insurance company when the Company has suffered a loss covered under an insurance policy.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_InsuranceSettlementsReceivable
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Amount awarded to other party in judgment or settlement of litigation.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationSettlementAmountAwardedToOtherParty
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingenciesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Amount of loss contingency liability.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118942415&loc=d3e14326-108349

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingencyAccrualAtCarryingValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Number of plaintiffs that have filed claims pertaining to a loss contingency.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingencyNumberOfPlaintiffs
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

The difference between the maximum amount of estimated loss and the amount recorded as of the balance sheet date.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 05
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=99385795&loc=d3e12631-108344

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingencyRangeOfPossibleLossPortionNotAccrued
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis=pcg_ButteFireMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=pcg_PacificGasElectricCoMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	srt_LitigationCaseAxis=pcg_AgreementReachedInLitigationToStipulateToJudgmentOnInverseCondemnationGroundsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	srt_LitigationCaseAxis=pcg_CountyOfCalaverasMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: