Fair Value Measurements - MEC - Level 3 (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Derivative [Member] \| MidAmerican Energy Company [Member]
Fair Value, Assets (Liabilities), Net, Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	$ 12	$ (3)	$ 0
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis, Gain (Loss) Included in Earnings	11	12	3
Fair Value, Measurement with Unobservable Inputs Reconciliation, Recurring Basis, Gain (Loss) Included in Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	(7)	0	(2)
Fair Value, Measurements with Unobservable Inputs Reconciliation, Recurring Basis, Gain (Loss) Included In Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net	(25)	6	0
Purchases	1	1	0
Settlements	2	(4)	(4)
Ending balance	(6)	12	(3)
Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Derivatives and Commodity Contracts	8	16	(5)
Auction Rate Securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets (Liabilities), Net, Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	45	44	41
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis, Gain (Loss) Included in Earnings	0	0	0
Fair Value, Measurement with Unobservable Inputs Reconciliation, Recurring Basis, Gain (Loss) Included in Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	(1)	1	3
Fair Value, Measurements with Unobservable Inputs Reconciliation, Recurring Basis, Gain (Loss) Included In Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net	0	0	0
Purchases	0	0	0
Settlements	0	0	0
Ending balance	44	45	44
Auction Rate Securities [Member] \| MidAmerican Energy Company [Member]
Fair Value, Assets (Liabilities), Net, Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	26	23	21
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis, Gain (Loss) Included in Earnings	0	0	0
Fair Value, Measurement with Unobservable Inputs Reconciliation, Recurring Basis, Gain (Loss) Included in Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	0	3	2
Fair Value, Measurements with Unobservable Inputs Reconciliation, Recurring Basis, Gain (Loss) Included In Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Net	0	0	0
Purchases	0	0	0
Settlements	0	0	0
Ending balance	$ 26	$ 26	$ 23

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

No definition available.

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- Definition

This element represents assets and liabilities, net measured at fair value using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) which is required for reconciliation purposes of beginning and ending balances.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Settlements that have taken place during the period in relation to assets and liabilities, net measured at fair value and categorized within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Amount of gain (loss) recognized in regulatory assets or liabilities, net, arising from assets, liabilities and financial instruments classified in shareholders' equity measured at fair value on a recurring basis using unobservable inputs (level 3).

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

This item represents the amount of the total realized and unrealized gains or losses for the period which are included in the statement of income (or changes in net assets); the fair value of which assets and liabilities was or is measured on a recurring basis using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=36462937&loc=d3e19207-110258

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- Definition

Amount of purchases of financial instrument classified as an asset measured using unobservable inputs that reflect the entity's own assumption about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=36462937&loc=d3e19207-110258

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- Definition

Amount of gain (loss) recognized in other comprehensive income, arising from assets, liabilities and financial instruments classified in shareholders' equity measured at fair value on a recurring basis using unobservable inputs (level 3).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(1a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=36462937&loc=d3e19207-110258

+ Details

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- Definition

The net change in the difference between the fair value and the carrying value, or in the comparative fair values, of open derivatives, commodity, or energy contracts, held at each balance sheet date, that was included in earnings for the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56944662&loc=d3e3602-108585

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