Employee Benefit Plans - SPPC - Amounts Payable (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016
Domestic Pension Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Employer contributions	$ 3
Sierra Pacific Power Company [Member] | Other Postretirement Benefit Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Employer contributions	4	$ 0
Sierra Pacific Power Company [Member] | Other Noncurrent Liabilities [Member] | NV Energy, Inc. [Member] | Domestic Pension Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Pension and Other Postretirement Defined Benefit Plans, Liabilities, Noncurrent	12		$ 12
Sierra Pacific Power Company [Member] | Other Noncurrent Liabilities [Member] | NV Energy, Inc. [Member] | Other Pension Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Pension and Other Postretirement Defined Benefit Plans, Liabilities, Noncurrent	9		9
Sierra Pacific Power Company [Member] | Other Noncurrent Liabilities [Member] | NV Energy, Inc. [Member] | Other Postretirement Benefit Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Pension and Other Postretirement Defined Benefit Plans, Liabilities, Noncurrent	24		28
Sierra Pacific Power Company [Member] | Other Current Liabilities [Member] | NV Energy, Inc. [Member] | Other Pension Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Pension and Other Postretirement Defined Benefit Plans, Current Liabilities	$ 1		$ 1