Income Taxes - SPPC - Reconciliation of Effective Income Tax Rate (Details)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Schedule of Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation [Line Items]
Federal statutory income tax rate	35.00%	35.00%	35.00%
Other, net	(2.00%)	(2.00%)	2.00%
Effective income tax rate	16.00%	23.00%	7.00%
Sierra Pacific Power Company [Member]
Schedule of Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation [Line Items]
Federal statutory income tax rate	35.00%	35.00%	35.00%
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation Regulatory Differences	0.00%	0.00%	1.00%
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Nondeductible Expense, Merger Charges, Percent	1.00%	1.00%	1.00%
Other, net	0.00%	(1.00%)	0.00%
Effective income tax rate	36.00%	35.00%	37.00%

Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Nondeductible Expense, Merger Charges, Percent

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- Definition

The portion of the difference between the effective income tax rate and domestic federal statutory income tax rate that can be explained by the tax effect of certain temporary differences due to state utility rate regulation.

+ References

No definition available.

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Schedule of Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation [Line Items]

+ References

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- Definition

Percentage of current income tax expense (benefit) and deferred income tax expense (benefit) pertaining to continuing operations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 13
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32698-109319

Reference 2: 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.(h)(2))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 12
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32687-109319

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- Definition

Percentage of domestic federal statutory tax rate applicable to pretax income (loss).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 12
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32687-109319

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SAB TOPIC 6.I)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=34349781&loc=d3e330036-122817

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 13
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32698-109319

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- Definition

Percentage of the difference between reported income tax expense (benefit) and expected income tax expense (benefit) computed by applying the domestic federal statutory income tax rates to pretax income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to other adjustments.

+ References

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