Segment Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales revenue from energy operations		$ 15,354	$ 15,182	$ 10,826
Real estate		2,526	2,144	1,809
Revenues		17,880	17,326	12,635
Depreciation and amortization - energy operations		2,399	2,028	1,527
Depreciation and amortization		2,428	2,057	1,560
Operating income (loss)		4,328	4,046	2,835
Interest expense		1,904	1,711	1,222
Capitalized interest		74	89	84
Allowance for equity funds		91	98	78
Investment Income, Interest and Dividend		107	38	15
Other, net		39	42	51
Income before income tax expense and equity income		2,735	2,602	1,841
Income tax expense		450	589	130
Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment		5,875	6,555	4,307
Property, plant and equipment, net		60,769	59,248	50,119
Assets		83,618	81,816	69,591
PacifiCorp [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales revenue from energy operations		5,232	5,252	5,147
Depreciation and amortization - energy operations		780	745	692
Operating income (loss)		1,344	1,308	1,275
Interest expense		383	386	390
Income tax expense		328	310	298
Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment		916	1,066	1,065
Property, plant and equipment, net		19,039	18,755	18,563
Assets		23,550	23,404	22,781
MidAmerican Funding [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales revenue from energy operations		3,420	3,762	3,413
Depreciation and amortization - energy operations		407	351	403
Operating income (loss)		473	423	357
Interest expense		206	197	174
Income tax expense		(144)	(110)	(110)
Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment		1,448	1,527	1,027
Property, plant and equipment, net		11,737	10,535	9,353
Assets		16,499	15,346	13,970
NV Energy [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales revenue from energy operations		3,351	3,241	(20)
Depreciation and amortization - energy operations		410	379	0
Operating income (loss)		812	791	(42)
Interest expense		262	283	0
Income tax expense		207	195	(15)
Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment		571	558	0
Property, plant and equipment, net		9,767	9,648	9,623
Assets		14,656	14,256	14,016
Northern Powergrid Holdings [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales revenue from energy operations		1,140	1,283	1,025
Depreciation and amortization - energy operations		202	198	180
Operating income (loss)		593	674	501
Interest expense		145	151	141
Income tax expense		35	110	23
Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment		674	675	675
Property, plant and equipment, net		5,790	5,599	5,476
Assets		7,317	7,059	6,852
BHE Pipeline Group [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales revenue from energy operations		1,016	1,078	952
Depreciation and amortization - energy operations		204	196	190
Operating income (loss)		464	439	446
Interest expense		66	76	80
Income tax expense		158	149	149
Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment		240	257	177
Property, plant and equipment, net		4,345	4,286	4,147
Assets		4,953	4,951	4,891
BHE Transmission [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales revenue from energy operations		592	62	0
Depreciation and amortization - energy operations		185	13	0
Operating income (loss)		260	16	(5)
Interest expense		146	14	0
Income tax expense		63	28	10
Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment		966	222	0
Property, plant and equipment, net		5,301	5,567	0
Assets		7,553	7,979	465
BHE Renewables [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales revenue from energy operations		728	623	355
Depreciation and amortization - energy operations		216	152	71
Operating income (loss)		255	314	223
Interest expense		193	175	138
Income tax expense		41	65	57
Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment		1,034	2,221	1,329
Property, plant and equipment, net		4,805	4,897	3,020
Assets		5,892	6,082	3,832
HomeServices [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Real estate		2,526	2,144	1,809
Depreciation and amortization		29	29	33
Operating income (loss)		184	125	129
Interest expense		3	4	3
Income tax expense		72	44	48
Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment		16	17	21
Property, plant and equipment, net		70	68	61
Assets		1,705	1,622	1,375
Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales revenue from energy operations	[1]	(125)	(119)	(46)
Depreciation and amortization - energy operations	[1]	(5)	(6)	(9)
Operating income (loss)	[1]	(57)	(44)	(49)
Interest expense	[1]	500	425	296
Income tax expense	[1]	(310)	(202)	(330)
Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment		10	12	13
Property, plant and equipment, net		(85)	(107)	(124)
Assets		1,493	1,117	1,409
UNITED STATES
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues		16,121	15,857	11,465
Income before income tax expense and equity income		2,034	2,001	1,388
Property, plant and equipment, net		49,680	47,918	44,460
United Kingdom
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues		1,140	1,281	1,023
Income before income tax expense and equity income		472	557	373
Property, plant and equipment, net		5,757	5,563	5,439
CANADA
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues		600	78	16
Income before income tax expense and equity income		165	4	0
Property, plant and equipment, net		5,298	5,570	3
The Philippines and other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues		19	110	131
Income before income tax expense and equity income		64	40	80
Property, plant and equipment, net		$ 34	$ 197	$ 217

[1] (1)The differences between the reportable segment amounts and the consolidated amounts, described as BHE and Other, relate to other corporate entities, corporate functions and intersegment eliminations.