Related Party Transactions - MidAmerican Funding (Details) $ in Millions		12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity	[1]	$ 6,345	$ 6,421
Income Taxes Receivable From (Payable To) Related Parties Current		27	286
Related Party Transaction, Cash Received for Income Taxes, Net		1,100	1,800	$ 764
MidAmerican Funding, LLC and Subsidiaries [Domain]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Notes Payable, Related Parties, Current		$ 31	139
Maximum Debt to Capitalization Ratio		0.67
Minumum Interest Coverage Ratio		2.2
MidAmerican Funding, LLC and Subsidiaries [Domain] | Affiliated Entity [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Related Party Transaction, Expense Reimbursement		$ 35	35	37
Due from Affiliate, Current		7	7
Due to Affiliate, Current		12	12
Due from Affiliate, Noncurrent		12	10
Due to Affiliate, Noncurrent		36	29
MidAmerican Funding, LLC and Subsidiaries [Domain] | BHE [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Related Party Transaction, Expenses from Transactions with Related Party		6	7	8
Income Taxes Receivable From (Payable To) Related Parties Current		(7)	102
Related Party Transaction, Cash Received for Income Taxes, Net		609	631	154
MidAmerican Funding, LLC and Subsidiaries [Domain] | Northern Natural Gas and BNSF Railway Company [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Purchases from Related Party		135	165	$ 144
MidAmerican Funding, LLC and Subsidiaries [Domain] | Revolving Credit Arrangement, $300 million [Member] | Line of Credit [Member] | MHC, Inc. [Member] | BHE [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Line of Credit Arrangement Offered to Affiliate, Maximum Amount Available		300
Notes Payable, Related Parties, Current		$ 31	$ 139
Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate		0.885%	0.494%
MidAmerican Funding, LLC and Subsidiaries [Domain] | Revolving Credit Arrangement, $100 million [Member] | Line of Credit [Member] | MHC, Inc. [Member] | BHE [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity		$ 100
Notes Receivable, Related Parties, Current		$ 0	$ 0

[1] The above table does not include unused credit facilities and letters of credit for investments that are accounted for under the equity method.