SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Variable Interest Entities) (Details) - USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020
Debt [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 3,520,000,000
Receivables Securitization Program \| PG&E AR Facility, LLC
Debt [Line Items]
Accounts Receivable from Securitization	2,900,000,000	$ 2,600,000,000
Receivables Securitization Program \| Pacific Gas & Electric Co (Utility)
Debt [Line Items]
Aggregate maximum amount of loans made by lenders	1,000,000,000
Long-term debt, gross	$ 1,000,000,000	$ 1,000,000,000

Amount, before unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs, of long-term debt. Includes, but is not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, commercial loans, mortgage loans, convertible debt, subordinated debt and other types of debt.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (b)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123466204&loc=SL6031897-161870

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120400017&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
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-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(22))
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Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120398452&loc=d3e534808-122878

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