Subsidiary Debt - BHE Pipeline Group (Details) € in Millions, $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2020 EUR (€)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Par value	$ 49,759
Subsidiary Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Par value	36,108
Other long-term debt	36,319		$ 30,672
BHE Pipeline Group [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Par value	5,705
Other long-term debt	6,165		1,247
BHE Pipeline Group [Member] | Subsidiary Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Par value	5,705
Northern Natural Gas [Member] | BHE Pipeline Group [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Par value	1,250
Other long-term debt	1,247		1,247
Northern Natural Gas [Member] | BHE Pipeline Group [Member] | Senior Notes, 4.25%, due 2021 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Par value	200
Other long-term debt	200		200
Northern Natural Gas [Member] | BHE Pipeline Group [Member] | Senior Bonds, 5.8%, due 2037 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Par value	150
Other long-term debt	149		149
Northern Natural Gas [Member] | BHE Pipeline Group [Member] | Senior Bonds, 4.1%, due 2042 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Par value	250
Other long-term debt	248		248
Northern Natural Gas [Member] | BHE Pipeline Group [Member] | Senior Bonds, 4.30%, due 2049 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Par value	650
Other long-term debt	650		650
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [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
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member] | EEGH 2.875% Senior Notes, due 2023 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Par value	$ 250
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	2.875%	2.875%
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member] | EEGH 3.55% Senior Notes, due 2023 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Par value	$ 400
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	3.55%	3.55%
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member] | EEGH 2.5% Senior Notes, due 2024 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Par value	$ 600
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	2.50%	2.50%
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member] | EEGH 3.6% Senior Notes, due 2024 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Par value	$ 450
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	3.60%	3.60%
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member] | EEGH 3% Senior Notes, due 2029 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Par value	$ 600
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	3.00%	3.00%
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member] | EEGH 3.8% Senior Notes, due 2031 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Par value	$ 150
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	3.80%	3.80%
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member] | EEGH 4.8% Senior Notes, due 2043 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Par value	$ 400
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	4.80%	4.80%
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member] | EEGH 4.6% Senior Notes, due 2044 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Par value	$ 500
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	4.60%	4.60%
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member] | EEGH 3.9% Senior Notes, due 2049 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Par value	$ 300
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	3.90%	3.90%
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member] | EEGH 3.32% Senior Notes, due 2026 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Par value	$ 305	€ 250
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	3.32%	3.32%
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member] | BHE Pipeline Group [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Par value	$ 4,455
Other long-term debt	4,425		0
Other Long-term Debt, Purchase Accounting Adjustment	493		0
Debt Instrument, Face Amount, Purchase Accounting Adjustment	0
Other Long-term Debt, Net of Purchase Accounting Adjustment	4,918		0
Debt Instrument, Face Amount, Net of Purchase Accounting Adjustment	4,455
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member] | BHE Pipeline Group [Member] | Subsidiary Debt [Member] | EEGH Variable Rate Senior Notes, due 2021 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Par value	500
Other long-term debt	500		0
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member] | BHE Pipeline Group [Member] | Subsidiary Debt [Member] | EEGH 2.875% Senior Notes, due 2023 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Par value	250
Other long-term debt	$ 249		0
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	2.875%	2.875%
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member] | BHE Pipeline Group [Member] | Subsidiary Debt [Member] | EEGH 3.55% Senior Notes, due 2023 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Par value	$ 400
Other long-term debt	$ 399		0
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	3.55%	3.55%
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member] | BHE Pipeline Group [Member] | Subsidiary Debt [Member] | EEGH 2.5% Senior Notes, due 2024 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Par value	$ 600
Other long-term debt	$ 596		0
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	2.50%	2.50%
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member] | BHE Pipeline Group [Member] | Subsidiary Debt [Member] | EEGH 3.6% Senior Notes, due 2024 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Par value	$ 450
Other long-term debt	$ 448		0
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	3.60%	3.60%
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member] | BHE Pipeline Group [Member] | Subsidiary Debt [Member] | EEGH 3% Senior Notes, due 2029 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Par value	$ 600
Other long-term debt	$ 594		0
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	3.00%	3.00%
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member] | BHE Pipeline Group [Member] | Subsidiary Debt [Member] | EEGH 3.8% Senior Notes, due 2031 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Par value	$ 150
Other long-term debt	$ 150		0
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	3.80%	3.80%
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member] | BHE Pipeline Group [Member] | Subsidiary Debt [Member] | EEGH 4.8% Senior Notes, due 2043 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Par value	$ 400
Other long-term debt	$ 395		0
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	4.80%	4.80%
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member] | BHE Pipeline Group [Member] | Subsidiary Debt [Member] | EEGH 4.6% Senior Notes, due 2044 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Par value	$ 500
Other long-term debt	$ 493		0
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	4.60%	4.60%
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member] | BHE Pipeline Group [Member] | Subsidiary Debt [Member] | EEGH 3.9% Senior Notes, due 2049 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Par value	$ 300
Other long-term debt	$ 297		0
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	3.90%	3.90%
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, LLC [Member] | BHE Pipeline Group [Member] | Subsidiary Debt [Member] | EEGH 3.32% Senior Notes, due 2026 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Par value	$ 305	€ 250
Other long-term debt	$ 304		$ 0
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	3.32%	3.32%
Northern Natural Gas [Member] | BHE Pipeline Group [Member] | Subsidiary Debt [Member] | Senior Notes, 4.25%, due 2021 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	4.25%	4.25%
Northern Natural Gas [Member] | BHE Pipeline Group [Member] | Subsidiary Debt [Member] | Senior Bonds, 5.8%, due 2037 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	5.80%	5.80%
Northern Natural Gas [Member] | BHE Pipeline Group [Member] | Subsidiary Debt [Member] | Senior Bonds, 4.1%, due 2042 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	4.10%	4.10%
Northern Natural Gas [Member] | BHE Pipeline Group [Member] | Subsidiary Debt [Member] | Senior Bonds, 4.30%, due 2049 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	4.30%	4.30%