Fair Value Measurements - Level 3 (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017
Commodity derivative [Member]
Fair Value, Assets (Liabilities), Net, Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	$ 83	$ 81	$ 94	$ 60
Changes included in earnings	(1)	7	3	19
Changes in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income	1	(1)	1	(3)
Changes in fair value recognized in net regulatory assets	3	(3)	(11)	(5)
Fair Value, Measurement with Unobservable Inputs Reconciliation, Recurring Basis, Asset, Purchases	1	0	2	1
Settlements	(3)	2	(5)	14
Ending balance	84	86	84	86
Interest Rate Lock Commitments [Member]
Fair Value, Assets (Liabilities), Net, Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	17	8	9	6
Changes included in earnings	54	34	140	100
Changes in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income	0	0	0	0
Changes in fair value recognized in net regulatory assets	0	0	0	0
Fair Value, Measurement with Unobservable Inputs Reconciliation, Recurring Basis, Asset, Purchases	0	8	0	6
Settlements	(61)	(37)	(139)	(99)
Ending balance	$ 10	$ 13	$ 10	$ 13

A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.

No definition available.

Name:	bhe_FairValueAssetsLiabilitiesNetMeasuredOnRecurringBasisUnobservableInputReconciliationCalculationRollForward
Namespace Prefix:	bhe_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This element represents assets and liabilities, net measured at fair value using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) which is required for reconciliation purposes of beginning and ending balances.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bhe_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetLiabilityNetValue
Namespace Prefix:	bhe_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Settlements that have taken place during the period in relation to assets and liabilities, net measured at fair value and categorized within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bhe_FairValueMeasurementsWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetsAndLiabilityNetSettlements
Namespace Prefix:	bhe_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of gain (loss) recognized in regulatory assets or liabilities, net, arising from assets, liabilities and financial instruments classified in shareholders' equity measured at fair value on a recurring basis using unobservable inputs (level 3).

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bhe_FairValueMeasurementsWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisGainLossIncludedInRegulatoryAssetsAndLiabilitiesNet
Namespace Prefix:	bhe_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This item represents the amount of the total realized and unrealized gains or losses for the period which are included in the statement of income (or changes in net assets); the fair value of which assets and liabilities was or is measured on a recurring basis using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3).

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=99377789&loc=d3e19207-110258

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of purchases of financial instrument classified as an asset measured using unobservable inputs that reflect the entity's own assumption about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=99377789&loc=d3e19207-110258

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetPurchases
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of gain (loss) recognized in other comprehensive income, arising from assets, liabilities and financial instruments classified in shareholders' equity measured at fair value on a recurring basis using unobservable inputs (level 3).

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(1a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=99377789&loc=d3e19207-110258

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	bhe_FairValueInformationByClassOfAssetLiabilityNetAxis=us-gaap_CommodityContractMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	bhe_FairValueInformationByClassOfAssetLiabilityNetAxis=us-gaap_InterestRateLockCommitmentsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: