Investments and Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents - BHE (Details) - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020
Investments, Including Equity Method And Restricted Cash And Investments [Line Items]
Total investments	$ 6,462,000,000	$ 8,490,000,000
Equity method investments	6,062,000,000	6,554,000,000
Restricted cash and investments	890,000,000	916,000,000
Total investments and restricted cash and cash equivalents and investments	13,414,000,000	15,960,000,000
Reflected as:
Other current assets	2,141,000,000	172,000,000
Noncurrent assets	11,273,000,000	15,788,000,000
Unrealized (losses) gains recognized on marketable securities held at the reporting date	(1,487,000,000)	1,819,000,000	$ 4,791,000,000
Net (losses) gains recognized on marketable securities sold during the period	(515,000,000)	4,000,000	6,000,000
(Losses) gains on marketable securities, net	(2,002,000,000)	1,823,000,000	4,797,000,000
Tax equity contributions	0	0	2,736,000,000
Bridger Coal Company | Coal purchase | Equity Method Investee
Reflected as:
Purchases from related party	100,000,000	132,000,000	$ 128,000,000
Quad Cities Station nuclear decommissioning trust funds
Investments, Including Equity Method And Restricted Cash And Investments [Line Items]
Restricted cash and investments	664,000,000	768,000,000
Other restricted cash and cash equivalents
Investments, Including Equity Method And Restricted Cash And Investments [Line Items]
Restricted cash and investments	226,000,000	148,000,000
BHE Renewables tax equity investments
Investments, Including Equity Method And Restricted Cash And Investments [Line Items]
Equity method investments	4,535,000,000	4,931,000,000
Electric Transmission Texas, LLC
Investments, Including Equity Method And Restricted Cash And Investments [Line Items]
Equity method investments	$ 623,000,000	595,000,000
Reflected as:
Equity method investment, ownership percentage	50.00%
Iroquois Gas Transmission System, L.P.
Investments, Including Equity Method And Restricted Cash And Investments [Line Items]
Equity method investments	$ 600,000,000	735,000,000
Reflected as:
Equity method investment, ownership percentage	50.00%
Other
Investments, Including Equity Method And Restricted Cash And Investments [Line Items]
Equity method investments	$ 304,000,000	293,000,000
JAX LNG, LLC
Reflected as:
Equity method investment, ownership percentage	50.00%
Bridger Coal Company
Reflected as:
Equity method investment, ownership percentage	66.67%
BYD Company Limited common stock
Investments, Including Equity Method And Restricted Cash And Investments [Line Items]
Total investments	$ 3,763,000,000	7,693,000,000
U.S. Treasury Bills
Investments, Including Equity Method And Restricted Cash And Investments [Line Items]
Total investments	1,931,000,000	0
Rabbi trusts
Investments, Including Equity Method And Restricted Cash And Investments [Line Items]
Total investments	433,000,000	492,000,000
Other
Investments, Including Equity Method And Restricted Cash And Investments [Line Items]
Total investments	$ 335,000,000	$ 305,000,000