Segment Information - Goodwill (Details) $ in Millions	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2018 USD ($)
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	$ 9,678
Acquisitions	75
Foreign currency translation	(83)
Ending balance	9,670
PacifiCorp [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	1,129
Acquisitions	0
Foreign currency translation	0
Ending balance	1,129
MidAmerican Funding [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	2,102
Acquisitions	0
Foreign currency translation	0
Ending balance	2,102
NV Energy, Inc. [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	2,369
Acquisitions	0
Foreign currency translation	0
Ending balance	2,369
Northern Powergrid Holdings [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	991
Acquisitions	0
Foreign currency translation	(16)
Ending balance	975
BHE Pipeline Group [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	73
Acquisitions	0
Foreign currency translation	0
Ending balance	73
BHE Transmission [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	1,571
Acquisitions	0
Foreign currency translation	(67)
Ending balance	1,504
BHE Renewables [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	95
Acquisitions	0
Foreign currency translation	0
Ending balance	95
HomeServices [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	1,348
Acquisitions	75
Foreign currency translation	0
Ending balance	$ 1,423

Amount after accumulated impairment loss of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6388280&loc=d3e13770-109266

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77989000&loc=SL49117168-202975

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Amount of increase in asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized resulting from a business combination.

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Amount of foreign currency translation gain (loss) which increases (decreases) an asset representing future economic benefits from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

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