Long-term Debt (MEC) Long-term Debt Narrative (Details) (MidAmerican Energy Company [Member], USD $)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2013
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Eligible Property Subject To Lien Of Mortgages	$ 11,000,000,000
Committed Common Equity Percentage To Regulators [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Common equity to total capitalization percentage	42.00%
Committed Common Equity Percentage To Regulators Beyond Companies Control [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Common equity to total capitalization percentage below which reasonable efforts to maintain agreed to percentage is not required	39.00%
Common Equity Level To Total Capitalization [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Actual common equity to total capitalization percentage	51.00%
Dividend Restriction For Common Equity Commitment [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount Available for Dividend Distribution without Affecting Capital Adequacy Requirements	1,300,000,000
MidAmerican Energy Company [Member] \| Turbine purchase obligation, 1.46%, due 2013 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Repurchased Face Amount	669,000,000
MidAmerican Energy Company [Member] \| First Mortgage Bonds Issued September 2013 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount	$ 950,000,000

The percentage of common equity to total capitalization computed on a basis with its commitment to regulators.

No definition available.

Name:	mec_CommonEquityLevelToTotalCapitalization
Namespace Prefix:	mec_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the minimum common equity to total capitalization percentage allowed under acquisition commitment without prior regulatory approval, unless there are circumstances beyond the entity’s control.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	mec_CommonEquityToTotalCapitalizationPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	mec_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

In the event there are circumstances beyond the entity’s control, represents the minimum common equity to total capitalization percentage allowed under acquisition commitment without prior regulatory approval.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	mec_CommonEquityToTotalCapitalizationPercentageBelowWhichReasonableEffortsToMaintainAgreedToPercentageIsNotRequired
Namespace Prefix:	mec_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the amount of eligible property that was subject to lien of mortgage (based on original cost).

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	mec_EligiblePropertySubjectToLienOfMortgages
Namespace Prefix:	mec_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount of dividends that can be declared or paid without affecting the banking or savings institution's regulatory capital position.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 235

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(e))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 08

-Paragraph e

-Article 4

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AmountAvailableForDividendDistributionWithoutAffectingCapitalAdequacyRequirements
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 30

-Section 45

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6451184&loc=d3e28551-108399

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 30

-Section 55

-Paragraph 8

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6584090&loc=d3e28878-108400

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Face (par) amount of the original debt instrument that was repurchased.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRepurchasedFaceAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant