Revenue from Contracts with Customers Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		$ 4,357	$ 4,213	$ 11,190	$ 11,329
Operating revenue		6,193	5,644	15,332	15,148
Non-contracts with customer revenue [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Operating revenue		94	124	314	400
Electricity and natural gas [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Operating revenue		4,451	4,337	11,504	11,729
PacifiCorp [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		1,478	1,354	3,775	3,736
Operating revenue		1,479	1,367	3,829	3,793
PacifiCorp [Member] | Non-contracts with customer revenue [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Operating revenue		1	13	54	57
MidAmerican Funding [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		806	793	2,098	2,281
Operating revenue		812	797	2,114	2,299
MidAmerican Funding [Member] | Non-contracts with customer revenue [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Operating revenue		6	4	16	18
NV Energy, Inc. [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		1,034	1,047	2,336	2,367
Operating revenue		1,042	1,054	2,359	2,389
NV Energy, Inc. [Member] | Non-contracts with customer revenue [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Operating revenue		8	7	23	22
Northern Powergrid Holdings [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		214	204	650	661
Operating revenue		246	230	733	736
Northern Powergrid Holdings [Member] | Non-contracts with customer revenue [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Operating revenue		32	26	83	75
BHE Pipeline Group [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		264	221	885	805
Operating revenue		264	226	890	809
BHE Pipeline Group [Member] | Non-contracts with customer revenue [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Operating revenue		0	5	5	4
BHE Transmission [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		175	184	516	527
Operating revenue		175	184	516	527
BHE Transmission [Member] | Non-contracts with customer revenue [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Operating revenue		0	0	0	0
BHE Renewables [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		270	276	641	599
Operating revenue		309	329	731	745
BHE Renewables [Member] | Non-contracts with customer revenue [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Operating revenue		39	53	90	146
Berkshire Hathaway Energy And Other [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	[1]	116	134	289	353
Operating revenue	[1],[2]	124	150	332	431
Berkshire Hathaway Energy And Other [Member] | Non-contracts with customer revenue [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Operating revenue	[1]	8	16	43	78
Regulated Operation [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		3,927	3,753	10,109	10,223
Regulated Operation [Member] | Regulated retail electric [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		2,981	2,968	7,214	7,356
Regulated Operation [Member] | Regulated retail gas [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		84	77	422	490
Regulated Operation [Member] | Regulated wholesale [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		130	69	266	311
Regulated Operation [Member] | Regulated transmission and distribution [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		455	443	1,336	1,346
Regulated Operation [Member] | Regulated interstate pipeline [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		235	196	782	719
Regulated Operation [Member] | Other customer revenue [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		42	0	89	1
Regulated Operation [Member] | PacifiCorp [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		1,478	1,354	3,775	3,736
Regulated Operation [Member] | PacifiCorp [Member] | Regulated retail electric [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		1,344	1,320	3,532	3,613
Regulated Operation [Member] | PacifiCorp [Member] | Regulated retail gas [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		0	0	0	0
Regulated Operation [Member] | PacifiCorp [Member] | Regulated wholesale [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		59	8	76	47
Regulated Operation [Member] | PacifiCorp [Member] | Regulated transmission and distribution [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		33	26	79	76
Regulated Operation [Member] | PacifiCorp [Member] | Regulated interstate pipeline [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		0	0	0	0
Regulated Operation [Member] | PacifiCorp [Member] | Other customer revenue [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		42	0	88	0
Regulated Operation [Member] | MidAmerican Funding [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		802	784	2,085	2,256
Regulated Operation [Member] | MidAmerican Funding [Member] | Regulated retail electric [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		661	651	1,539	1,561
Regulated Operation [Member] | MidAmerican Funding [Member] | Regulated retail gas [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		70	61	341	416
Regulated Operation [Member] | MidAmerican Funding [Member] | Regulated wholesale [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		56	56	157	232
Regulated Operation [Member] | MidAmerican Funding [Member] | Regulated transmission and distribution [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		15	16	48	47
Regulated Operation [Member] | MidAmerican Funding [Member] | Regulated interstate pipeline [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		0	0	0	0
Regulated Operation [Member] | MidAmerican Funding [Member] | Other customer revenue [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		0	0	0	0
Regulated Operation [Member] | NV Energy, Inc. [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		1,035	1,047	2,335	2,367
Regulated Operation [Member] | NV Energy, Inc. [Member] | Regulated retail electric [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		977	998	2,144	2,183
Regulated Operation [Member] | NV Energy, Inc. [Member] | Regulated retail gas [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		14	16	81	74
Regulated Operation [Member] | NV Energy, Inc. [Member] | Regulated wholesale [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		14	6	34	34
Regulated Operation [Member] | NV Energy, Inc. [Member] | Regulated transmission and distribution [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		30	27	75	75
Regulated Operation [Member] | NV Energy, Inc. [Member] | Regulated interstate pipeline [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		0	0	0	0
Regulated Operation [Member] | NV Energy, Inc. [Member] | Other customer revenue [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		0	0	1	1
Regulated Operation [Member] | Northern Powergrid Holdings [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		208	195	632	634
Regulated Operation [Member] | Northern Powergrid Holdings [Member] | Regulated retail electric [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		0	0	0	0
Regulated Operation [Member] | Northern Powergrid Holdings [Member] | Regulated retail gas [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		0	0	0	0
Regulated Operation [Member] | Northern Powergrid Holdings [Member] | Regulated wholesale [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		0	0	0	0
Regulated Operation [Member] | Northern Powergrid Holdings [Member] | Regulated transmission and distribution [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		208	195	632	634
Regulated Operation [Member] | Northern Powergrid Holdings [Member] | Regulated interstate pipeline [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		0	0	0	0
Regulated Operation [Member] | Northern Powergrid Holdings [Member] | Other customer revenue [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		0	0	0	0
Regulated Operation [Member] | BHE Pipeline Group [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		264	221	885	805
Regulated Operation [Member] | BHE Pipeline Group [Member] | Regulated retail electric [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		0	0	0	0
Regulated Operation [Member] | BHE Pipeline Group [Member] | Regulated retail gas [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		0	0	0	0
Regulated Operation [Member] | BHE Pipeline Group [Member] | Regulated wholesale [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		0	0	0	0
Regulated Operation [Member] | BHE Pipeline Group [Member] | Regulated transmission and distribution [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		0	0	0	0
Regulated Operation [Member] | BHE Pipeline Group [Member] | Regulated interstate pipeline [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		264	221	885	805
Regulated Operation [Member] | BHE Pipeline Group [Member] | Other customer revenue [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		0	0	0	0
Regulated Operation [Member] | BHE Transmission [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		169	179	502	514
Regulated Operation [Member] | BHE Transmission [Member] | Regulated retail electric [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		0	0	0	0
Regulated Operation [Member] | BHE Transmission [Member] | Regulated retail gas [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		0	0	0	0
Regulated Operation [Member] | BHE Transmission [Member] | Regulated wholesale [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		0	0	0	0
Regulated Operation [Member] | BHE Transmission [Member] | Regulated transmission and distribution [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		169	179	502	514
Regulated Operation [Member] | BHE Transmission [Member] | Regulated interstate pipeline [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		0	0	0	0
Regulated Operation [Member] | BHE Transmission [Member] | Other customer revenue [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		0	0	0	0
Regulated Operation [Member] | BHE Renewables [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		0	0	0	0
Regulated Operation [Member] | BHE Renewables [Member] | Regulated retail electric [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		0	0	0	0
Regulated Operation [Member] | BHE Renewables [Member] | Regulated retail gas [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		0	0	0	0
Regulated Operation [Member] | BHE Renewables [Member] | Regulated wholesale [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		0	0	0	0
Regulated Operation [Member] | BHE Renewables [Member] | Regulated transmission and distribution [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		0	0	0	0
Regulated Operation [Member] | BHE Renewables [Member] | Regulated interstate pipeline [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		0	0	0	0
Regulated Operation [Member] | BHE Renewables [Member] | Other customer revenue [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		0	0	0	0
Regulated Operation [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Energy And Other [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	[1]	(29)	(27)	(105)	(89)
Regulated Operation [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Energy And Other [Member] | Regulated retail electric [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	[1]	(1)	(1)	(1)	(1)
Regulated Operation [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Energy And Other [Member] | Regulated retail gas [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	[1]	0	0	0	0
Regulated Operation [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Energy And Other [Member] | Regulated wholesale [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	[1]	1	(1)	(1)	(2)
Regulated Operation [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Energy And Other [Member] | Regulated transmission and distribution [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	[1]	0	0	0	0
Regulated Operation [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Energy And Other [Member] | Regulated interstate pipeline [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	[1]	(29)	(25)	(103)	(86)
Regulated Operation [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Energy And Other [Member] | Other customer revenue [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	[1]	0	0	0	0
Unregulated Operation [Member] | Nonregulated products and services [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		430	460	1,081	1,106
Unregulated Operation [Member] | PacifiCorp [Member] | Nonregulated products and services [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		0	0	0	0
Unregulated Operation [Member] | MidAmerican Funding [Member] | Nonregulated products and services [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		4	9	13	25
Unregulated Operation [Member] | NV Energy, Inc. [Member] | Nonregulated products and services [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		(1)	0	1	0
Unregulated Operation [Member] | Northern Powergrid Holdings [Member] | Nonregulated products and services [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		6	9	18	27
Unregulated Operation [Member] | BHE Pipeline Group [Member] | Nonregulated products and services [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		0	0	0	0
Unregulated Operation [Member] | BHE Transmission [Member] | Nonregulated products and services [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		6	5	14	13
Unregulated Operation [Member] | BHE Renewables [Member] | Nonregulated products and services [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		270	276	641	599
Unregulated Operation [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Energy And Other [Member] | Nonregulated products and services [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	[1]	145	161	394	442
PacifiCorp [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Operating revenue		1,479	1,367	3,829	3,793
PacifiCorp [Member] | Non-contracts with customer revenue [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Operating revenue		1	13	54	57
PacifiCorp [Member] | Regulated Operation [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		1,478	1,354	3,775	3,736
PacifiCorp [Member] | Regulated Operation [Member] | Regulated retail electric [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		1,344	1,303	3,532	3,558
PacifiCorp [Member] | Regulated Operation [Member] | Regulated wholesale [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		59	8	76	47
PacifiCorp [Member] | Regulated Operation [Member] | Regulated transmission and distribution [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		33	26	79	76
PacifiCorp [Member] | Regulated Operation [Member] | Other customer revenue [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		$ 42	$ 17	$ 88	$ 55

[1] (1)The BHE and Other reportable segment represents amounts related principally to other entities, corporate functions and intersegment eliminations.

[2] e differences between the reportable segment amounts and the consolidated amounts, described as BHE and Other, relate principally to other entities, including MidAmerican Energy Services, LLC, corporate functions and intersegment eliminations.T