Investments and Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents - BHE (Details) - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021
Investments, Including Equity Method And Restricted Cash And Investments [Line Items]
Total investments	$ 4,039,000,000	$ 6,462,000,000
Total equity method investments	5,711,000,000	6,062,000,000
Restricted cash and investments	1,013,000,000	890,000,000
Total investments and restricted cash and cash equivalents and investments	10,763,000,000	13,414,000,000
Reflected as:
Other current assets	1,253,000,000	2,141,000,000
Noncurrent assets	9,510,000,000	11,273,000,000
Unrealized gains (losses) recognized on marketable securities held at the reporting date	252,000,000	(1,487,000,000)	$ 1,819,000,000
Net gains (losses) recognized on marketable securities sold during the period	417,000,000	(515,000,000)	4,000,000
Gains (losses) on marketable securities, net	669,000,000	(2,002,000,000)	1,823,000,000
Tax equity contributions	0	0
Bridger Coal Company | Coal purchase | Equity method investee
Reflected as:
Purchases from related party	115,000,000	100,000,000	$ 132,000,000
Quad Cities Station nuclear decommissioning trust funds
Investments, Including Equity Method And Restricted Cash And Investments [Line Items]
Restricted cash and investments	767,000,000	664,000,000
Other restricted cash and cash equivalents
Investments, Including Equity Method And Restricted Cash And Investments [Line Items]
Restricted cash and investments	246,000,000	226,000,000
BHE Renewables tax equity investments
Investments, Including Equity Method And Restricted Cash And Investments [Line Items]
Total equity method investments	4,058,000,000	4,535,000,000
Electric Transmission Texas, LLC
Investments, Including Equity Method And Restricted Cash And Investments [Line Items]
Total equity method investments	$ 673,000,000	623,000,000
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]
Total equity method investments	$ 599,000,000	600,000,000
Reflected as:
Equity method investment, ownership percentage	50.00%
Other
Investments, Including Equity Method And Restricted Cash And Investments [Line Items]
Total equity method investments	$ 381,000,000	304,000,000
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	$ 2,218,000,000	3,763,000,000
U.S. Treasury Bills
Investments, Including Equity Method And Restricted Cash And Investments [Line Items]
Total investments	996,000,000	1,931,000,000
Rabbi trusts
Investments, Including Equity Method And Restricted Cash And Investments [Line Items]
Total investments	487,000,000	433,000,000
Other
Investments, Including Equity Method And Restricted Cash And Investments [Line Items]
Total investments	$ 338,000,000	$ 335,000,000