Debt Instrument, Outstanding Principal Amount Including Swap Amount

No definition available.

Name:	bhe_DebtInstrumentOutstandingPrincipalAmountIncludingSwapAmount
Namespace Prefix:	bhe_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Percentage points added to the reference rate to compute the variable rate on the debt instrument.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
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+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
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+ Details

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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, after unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs, of long-term debt. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.

+ References

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)(3)
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+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount, after unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs, of long-term debt, classified as current. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19,20)
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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount after unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs of long-term debt classified as noncurrent and excluding amounts to be repaid within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.

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+ Details

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

- Definition

The interest rate applicable to the portion of the carrying amount of long-term borrowings outstanding as of the balance sheet date, including current maturities, which accrues interest at a set, unchanging rate.

+ References

+ Details

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Subsidiary Debt - EEGH (Details) € in Millions, $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2020 EUR (€)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Par value	$ 49,759
Long-term Debt	49,866		$ 39,353
Current portion of long-term debt	1,839		2,539
BHE Pipeline Group [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Par value	5,705
Subsidiary Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Par value	36,108
Subsidiary Debt [Member] \| Berkshire Hathaway Energy Renewables [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Par value	3,152
Subsidiary Debt [Member] \| BHE Pipeline Group [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Par value	$ 5,705
Maximum [Member] \| Subsidiary Debt [Member] \| Berkshire Hathaway Energy Renewables [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Percentage Bearing Fixed Interest, Percentage Rate	5.41%	5.41%
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Par value	$ 4,455
Long-term Debt	4,425		5,520
Current portion of long-term debt	500		699
Long-term Debt, Excluding Current Maturities	3,925		4,821
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member] \| BHE Pipeline Group [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Par value	4,455
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member] \| EEGH Variable Rate Senior Notes, due 2021 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Par value	500
Long-term Debt	500		499
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member] \| EEGH Variable Rate Senior Notes, due 2021 [Member] \| Subsidiary Debt [Member] \| BHE Pipeline Group [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Par value	$ 500
Long-term Debt, Percentage Bearing Fixed Interest, Percentage Rate	3.46%	3.46%
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	0.60%
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member] \| EEGH 2.8% Senior Notes, due 2020 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	2.80%	2.80%
Par value	$ 0
Long-term Debt	$ 0		699
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member] \| EEGH 3.91% Senior Notes, due 2038 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	3.91%	3.91%
Par value	$ 0
Long-term Debt	$ 0		149
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member] \| EEGH 4.875% Senior Notes, due 2041 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	4.875%	4.875%
Par value	$ 0
Long-term Debt	$ 0		177
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member] \| EEGH 4.8% Senior Notes, due 2043 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	4.80%	4.80%
Par value	$ 400
Long-term Debt	$ 395		395
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member] \| EEGH 4.8% Senior Notes, due 2043 [Member] \| Subsidiary Debt [Member] \| BHE Pipeline Group [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	4.80%	4.80%
Par value	$ 400
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member] \| EEGH 2.875% Senior Notes, due 2023 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	2.875%	2.875%
Par value	$ 250
Long-term Debt	$ 249		249
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member] \| EEGH 2.875% Senior Notes, due 2023 [Member] \| Subsidiary Debt [Member] \| BHE Pipeline Group [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	2.875%	2.875%
Par value	$ 250
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member] \| EEGH 3.55% Senior Notes, due 2023 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	3.55%	3.55%
Par value	$ 400
Long-term Debt	$ 399		398
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member] \| EEGH 3.55% Senior Notes, due 2023 [Member] \| Subsidiary Debt [Member] \| BHE Pipeline Group [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	3.55%	3.55%
Par value	$ 400
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member] \| EEGH 2.5% Senior Notes, due 2024 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	2.50%	2.50%
Par value	$ 600
Long-term Debt	$ 596		596
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member] \| EEGH 2.5% Senior Notes, due 2024 [Member] \| Subsidiary Debt [Member] \| BHE Pipeline Group [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	2.50%	2.50%
Par value	$ 600
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member] \| EEGH 3.6% Senior Notes, due 2024 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	3.60%	3.60%
Par value	$ 450
Long-term Debt	$ 448		447
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member] \| EEGH 3.6% Senior Notes, due 2024 [Member] \| Subsidiary Debt [Member] \| BHE Pipeline Group [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	3.60%	3.60%
Par value	$ 450
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member] \| EEGH 3.32% Senior Notes, due 2026 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	3.32%	3.32%
Par value	$ 305	€ 250
Long-term Debt	$ 304		279
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member] \| EEGH 3.32% Senior Notes, due 2026 [Member] \| Subsidiary Debt [Member] \| BHE Pipeline Group [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	3.32%	3.32%
Par value	$ 305	€ 250
Long-term Debt, Percentage Bearing Fixed Interest, Percentage Rate	3.32%	3.32%
Debt Instrument, Outstanding Principal Amount Including Swap Amount	$ 280
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member] \| EEGH 3.53% Senior Notes, due 2028 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	3.53%	3.53%
Par value	$ 0
Long-term Debt	$ 0		99
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member] \| EEGH 3% Senior Notes, due 2029 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	3.00%	3.00%
Par value	$ 600
Long-term Debt	$ 594		594
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member] \| EEGH 3% Senior Notes, due 2029 [Member] \| Subsidiary Debt [Member] \| BHE Pipeline Group [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	3.00%	3.00%
Par value	$ 600
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member] \| EEGH 3.8% Senior Notes, due 2031 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	3.80%	3.80%
Par value	$ 150
Long-term Debt	$ 150		149
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member] \| EEGH 3.8% Senior Notes, due 2031 [Member] \| Subsidiary Debt [Member] \| BHE Pipeline Group [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	3.80%	3.80%
Par value	$ 150
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member] \| EEGH 4.6% Senior Notes, due 2044 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	4.60%	4.60%
Par value	$ 500
Long-term Debt	$ 493		493
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member] \| EEGH 4.6% Senior Notes, due 2044 [Member] \| Subsidiary Debt [Member] \| BHE Pipeline Group [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	4.60%	4.60%
Par value	$ 500
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member] \| EEGH 3.9% Senior Notes, due 2049 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	3.90%	3.90%
Par value	$ 300
Long-term Debt	$ 297		$ 297
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member] \| EEGH 3.9% Senior Notes, due 2049 [Member] \| Subsidiary Debt [Member] \| BHE Pipeline Group [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	3.90%	3.90%
Par value	$ 300
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member] \| EEGH 3.32% Senior Notes, due 2026, Denominated in Euros [Member] \| Subsidiary Debt [Member] \| BHE Pipeline Group [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Percentage Bearing Fixed Interest, Percentage Rate	1.45%	1.45%