Segment Information - MEC (Details) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($) OperatingSegments TheNumberOfReportableSegments	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of Reportable Segments | OperatingSegments	8
Revenues	$ 19,844	$ 19,787	$ 18,614
Operating income (loss)	4,150	4,072	4,522
Interest expense	1,912	1,838	1,841
Income tax (benefit) expense	(598)	(583)	(554)
Net income attributable to BHE shareholders	2,950	2,568	2,870
Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment	7,364	6,241	4,571
Assets	$ 100,051	92,189	90,208
MidAmerican Energy Company [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of Reportable Segments | TheNumberOfReportableSegments	2
Revenues	$ 2,925	3,049	2,837
Utilities Operating Expense, Depreciation and Amortization	639	609	500
Operating income (loss)	548	551	543
Interest expense	281	227	214
Income tax (benefit) expense	(371)	(255)	(183)
Net income attributable to BHE shareholders	793	682	605
Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment	2,810	2,332	1,773
Assets	20,564	17,920	16,318
MidAmerican Energy Company [Member] | Electricity, US Regulated [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	2,237	2,283	2,108
Utilities Operating Expense, Depreciation and Amortization	593	565	458
Operating income (loss)	473	469	472
Interest expense	259	208	196
Income tax (benefit) expense	(384)	(273)	(212)
Net income attributable to BHE shareholders	739	628	570
Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment	2,684	2,223	1,686
Assets	19,093	16,511	14,914
MidAmerican Energy Company [Member] | Natural Gas, US Regulated [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	660	754	719
Utilities Operating Expense, Depreciation and Amortization	46	44	42
Operating income (loss)	71	81	72
Interest expense	22	19	18
Income tax (benefit) expense	12	16	29
Net income attributable to BHE shareholders	52	54	35
Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment	126	109	87
Assets	1,468	1,406	1,403
MidAmerican Energy Company [Member] | Corporate and Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	28	12	10
Operating income (loss)	4	1	(1)
Income tax (benefit) expense	1	2	0
Net income attributable to BHE shareholders	2	0	0
Assets	$ 3	$ 3	$ 1