Segment Information - Goodwill (Details) $ in Millions	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($)
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	$ 9,678
Acquisitions	70
Foreign currency translation	(65)
Ending balance	9,683
PacifiCorp [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	1,129
Acquisitions
Foreign currency translation
Ending balance	1,129
MidAmerican Funding [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	2,102
Acquisitions
Foreign currency translation
Ending balance	2,102
NV Energy, Inc. [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	2,369
Acquisitions
Foreign currency translation
Ending balance	2,369
Northern Powergrid Holdings [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	991
Acquisitions
Foreign currency translation	(24)
Ending balance	967
BHE Pipeline Group [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	73
Acquisitions
Foreign currency translation
Ending balance	73
BHE Transmission [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	1,571
Acquisitions
Foreign currency translation	(41)
Ending balance	1,530
BHE Renewables [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	95
Acquisitions
Foreign currency translation
Ending balance	95
HomeServices [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	1,348
Acquisitions	70
Foreign currency translation
Ending balance	$ 1,418

Amount after accumulated impairment loss of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77989000&loc=SL49117168-202975

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
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Amount of increase in asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized resulting from a business combination.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
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Amount of foreign currency translation gain (loss) which increases (decreases) an asset representing future economic benefits from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

+ References

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A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.

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