Income Taxes Income Taxes (Tables) - MidAmerican Energy Company [Member]

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

Schedule of Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation [Line Items]

Components of Income Tax Expense (Benefit) [Table Text Block]

MidAmerican Energy's income tax benefit from continuing operations consists of the following for the years ended December 31 (in millions):

	2015			2014			2013
Current:
Federal	$	(415	)	$	(411	)	$	(207	)
State	(6		)	(4		)	(12		)
	(421		)	(415		)	(219		)
Deferred:
Federal	281			298			101
State	(6		)	2			3
	275			300			104
Investment tax credits	(1		)	(1		)	(1		)
Total	$	(147	)	$	(116	)	$	(116	)

Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation [Table Text Block]

A reconciliation of the federal statutory income tax rate to MidAmerican Energy's effective income tax rate applicable to income before income tax benefit from continuing operations is as follows for the years ended December 31:

	2015		2014		2013
Federal statutory income tax rate	35	%	35	%	35	%
Income tax credits	(71	)	(65	)	(79	)
State income tax, net of federal income tax benefit	(2	)	—		(2	)
Effects of ratemaking	(12	)	(9	)	(4	)
Other, net	1		(2	)	(3	)
Effective income tax rate	(49	)%	(41	)%	(53	)%

Components of Net Deferred Income Tax Assets and Liabilities [Table Text Block]

MidAmerican Energy's net deferred income tax liability consists of the following as of December 31 (in millions):

	2015			2014
Deferred income tax assets:
Regulatory liabilities	$	327		$	332
Employee benefits	66			68
Derivative contracts	29			30
Asset retirement obligations	214			185
Other	59			59
Total deferred income tax assets	695			674
Deferred income tax liabilities:
Depreciable property	(3,321		)	(2,945		)
Regulatory assets	(418		)	(366		)
Other	(17		)	(25		)
Total deferred income tax liabilities	(3,756		)	(3,336		)
Net deferred income tax liability	$	(3,061	)	$	(2,662	)

Net Unrecognized Tax Benefits Roll Forward [Table Text Block]

A reconciliation of the beginning and ending balances of MidAmerican Energy's net unrecognized tax benefits is as follows for the years ended December 31 (in millions):

	2015			2014
Beginning balance	$	26		$	29
Additions based on tax positions related to the current year	3			6
Additions for tax positions of prior years	47			38
Reductions based on tax positions related to the current year	(6		)	(4		)
Reductions for tax positions of prior years	(46		)	(40		)
Statute of limitations	(5		)	(3		)
Settlements	(6		)	—
Interest and penalties	(3		)	—
Ending balance	$	10		$	26