Common Shareholder's Equity

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2013

Common Shareholder's Equity [Abstract]

Stockholders' Equity Note Disclosure [Text Block]

(15)Common Shareholder's Equity

In February 2014, PacifiCorp declared a dividend of $500 million payable to PPW Holdings in March 2014.

Through PPW Holdings, MEHC is the sole shareholder of PacifiCorp's common stock. The state regulatory orders that authorized MEHC's acquisition of PacifiCorp contain restrictions on PacifiCorp's ability to pay dividends to the extent that they would reduce PacifiCorp's common equity below specified percentages of defined capitalization. As of December 31, 2013, the most restrictive of these commitments prohibits PacifiCorp from making any distribution to PPW Holdings or MEHC without prior state regulatory approval to the extent that it would reduce PacifiCorp's common equity below 44% of its total capitalization, excluding short-term debt and current maturities of long-term debt. The terms of this commitment treat 50% of PacifiCorp's remaining balance of preferred stock in existence prior to the acquisition of PacifiCorp by MEHC as common equity. As of December 31, 2013, PacifiCorp's actual common equity percentage, as calculated under this measure, was 54.1%, and PacifiCorp would have been permitted to dividend $2.6 billion under this commitment.

These commitments also restrict PacifiCorp from making any distributions to either PPW Holdings or MEHC if PacifiCorp's senior unsecured debt rating is BBB- or lower by Standard & Poor's Rating Services or Fitch Ratings or Baa3 or lower by Moody's Investor Service, as indicated by two of the three rating services. As of December 31, 2013, PacifiCorp met the minimum required senior unsecured debt ratings for making distributions.

PacifiCorp is also subject to a maximum debt-to-total capitalization percentage under various financing agreements as further discussed in Note 6.