Investments and Restricted Cash and Investments (Notes)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

Investments, Including Equity Method And Restricted Cash And Investments [Line Items]

Investments and Restricted Cash and Investments [Text Block]

Investments and Restricted Cash and Investments

Investments and restricted cash and investments consists of the following as of December 31 (in millions):



	2015		2014
Investments:
BYD Company Limited common stock	$	1,238	$	881
Rabbi trusts	380		386
Other	130		126
Total investments	1,748		1,393

Equity method investments:
Electric Transmission Texas, LLC	585		515
Bridger Coal Company	190		192
BHE Renewables tax equity investments	168		—
Other	160		161
Total equity method investments	1,103		868

Restricted cash and investments:
Quad Cities Station nuclear decommissioning trust funds	429		424
Solar Star and Topaz Projects	95		66
Other	129		167
Total restricted cash and investments	653		657

Total investments and restricted cash and investments	$	3,504	$	2,918

Reflected as:
Current assets	$	137	$	115
Noncurrent assets	3,367		2,803
Total investments and restricted cash and investments	$	3,504	$	2,918

Investments

BHE's investment in BYD Company Limited common stock is accounted for as an available-for-sale security with changes in fair value recognized in AOCI. The fair value of BHE's investment in BYD Company Limited common stock reflects a pre-tax unrealized gain of $1.0 billion and $649 million as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

Rabbi trusts primarily hold corporate-owned life insurance on certain current and former key executives and directors. The Rabbi trusts were established to hold investments used to fund the obligations of various nonqualified executive and director compensation plans and to pay the costs of the trusts. The amount represents the cash surrender value of all of the policies included in the Rabbi trusts, net of amounts borrowed against the cash surrender value.

Equity Method Investments

BHE, through a subsidiary, owns 50% of Electric Transmission Texas, LLC, which owns and operates electric transmission assets in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas footprint. BHE, through a subsidiary, owns 66.67% of Bridger Coal Company ("Bridger Coal"), which is a coal mining joint venture that supplies coal to the Jim Bridger generating facility. Bridger Coal is being accounted for under the equity method of accounting as the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact Bridger Coal's economic performance are shared with the joint venture partner.

Restricted Cash and Investments

MidAmerican Energy has established a trust for the investment of funds for decommissioning the Quad Cities Nuclear Station Units 1 and 2 ("Quad Cities Station"). These investments in debt and equity securities are classified as available-for-sale and are reported at fair value. Funds are invested in the trust in accordance with applicable federal and state investment guidelines and are restricted for use as reimbursement for costs of decommissioning the Quad Cities Station, which are currently licensed for operation until December 2032.

MidAmerican Energy Company [Member]

Investments, Including Equity Method And Restricted Cash And Investments [Line Items]

Investments and Restricted Cash and Investments [Text Block]

Investments and Restricted Cash and Investments

Investments and restricted cash and investments consists of the following amounts as of December 31 (in millions):



	2015		2014

Nuclear decommissioning trust	$	429	$	424
Rabbi trusts	175		175
Auction rate securities	26		26
Other	4		—
Total	$	634	$	625

MidAmerican Energy has established a trust for the investment of funds for decommissioning the Quad Cities Station. These investments in debt and equity securities are classified as available-for-sale and are reported at fair value. Funds are invested in the trust in accordance with applicable federal and state investment guidelines and are restricted for use as reimbursement for costs of decommissioning the Quad Cities Station, which is currently licensed for operation until December 2032. As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, the fair value of the trust's funds was invested as follows: 56% and 56%, respectively, in domestic common equity securities, 31% and 32%, respectively, in United States government securities, 9% and 9%, respectively, in domestic corporate debt securities and 4% and 3%, respectively, in other securities.

MidAmerican Energy has investments in interest bearing auction rate securities with a par value of $35 million as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, and remaining maturities of 2 to 20 years. MidAmerican Energy considers the securities to be temporarily impaired, except for an other-than-temporary impairment of $3 million, after-tax, recorded in 2008, and has recorded unrealized losses on the securities of $3 million and $3 million, after tax, in AOCI as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. MidAmerican Energy does not intend to sell or expect to be required to sell the securities until the remaining principal investment is collected.

MidAmerican Funding, LLC and Subsidiaries [Domain]

Investments, Including Equity Method And Restricted Cash And Investments [Line Items]

Investments and Restricted Cash and Investments [Text Block]

Investments and Restricted Cash and Investments

Refer to Note 6 of MidAmerican Energy's Notes to Financial Statements in Item 8 of this Form 10-K. In addition to MidAmerican Energy's investments and restricted cash and investments, MHC had corporate-owned life insurance policies in a Rabbi trust owned by MHC with a total cash surrender value of $2 million as of December 31, 2015 and 2014.