Employee Benefit Plans - MEC - Funded Status (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
United States Pension Plan of US Entity [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan, Change in Fair Value of Plan Assets [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	$ 2,718	$ 2,711
Defined Benefit Plan, Contributions by Employer	13	37
Defined Benefit Plan, Contributions by Plan Participants	0	0
Defined Benefit Plan, Actual Return on Plan Assets	(17)	188
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefits Paid	(202)	(218)
Ending balance	2,489	2,718	$ 2,711
Defined Benefit Plan, Change in Benefit Obligation [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	3,119	2,821
Defined Benefit Plan, Service Cost	33	36	24
Defined Benefit Plan, Interest Cost	121	131	87
Defined Benefit Plan, Contributions by Plan Participants	0	0
Defined Benefit Plan, Actuarial Gain (Loss)	(110)	349
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefits Paid	(202)	(218)
Ending balance	2,934	3,119	2,821
Defined Benefit Plan, Accumulated Benefit Obligation	2,906	3,086
Defined Benefit Plan, Funded Status of Plan [Abstract]
Defined Benefit Plan, Funded Status of Plan	(445)	(401)
Defined Benefit Plan, Assets for Plan Benefits, Noncurrent	7	12
Other current liabilities	(15)	(14)
Pension and Other Postretirement Defined Benefit Plans, Liabilities, Noncurrent	(437)	(399)
Defined Benefit Plan, Amounts Recognized in Balance Sheet	(445)	(401)
Domestic Other Postretirement Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan, Change in Fair Value of Plan Assets [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	858	852
Defined Benefit Plan, Contributions by Employer	2	2
Defined Benefit Plan, Contributions by Plan Participants	9	11
Defined Benefit Plan, Actual Return on Plan Assets	0	54
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefits Paid	(57)	(61)
Ending balance	662	858	852
Defined Benefit Plan, Change in Benefit Obligation [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	936	987
Defined Benefit Plan, Service Cost	11	14	14
Defined Benefit Plan, Interest Cost	31	46	33
Defined Benefit Plan, Contributions by Plan Participants	9	11
Defined Benefit Plan, Actuarial Gain (Loss)	(43)	(61)
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefits Paid	(57)	(61)
Ending balance	740	936	987
Defined Benefit Plan, Funded Status of Plan [Abstract]
Defined Benefit Plan, Funded Status of Plan	(78)	(78)
Defined Benefit Plan, Assets for Plan Benefits, Noncurrent	15	10
Other current liabilities	0	0
Pension and Other Postretirement Defined Benefit Plans, Liabilities, Noncurrent	(93)	(88)
Defined Benefit Plan, Amounts Recognized in Balance Sheet	(78)	(78)
Supplemental Employee Retirement Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plans, Supplemental Employee Retirement Plans [Abstract]
Life Insurance, Corporate or Bank Owned, Amount	228	247
MidAmerican Energy Company [Member]
Defined Benefit Plans, Supplemental Employee Retirement Plans [Abstract]
Life Insurance, Corporate or Bank Owned, Amount	175	175
MidAmerican Energy Company [Member] | United States Pension Plan of US Entity [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan, Change in Fair Value of Plan Assets [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	730	722
Defined Benefit Plan, Contributions by Employer	7	7
Defined Benefit Plan, Contributions by Plan Participants	0	0
Defined Benefit Plan, Actual Return on Plan Assets	4	52
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefits Paid	(63)	(51)
Ending balance	678	730	722
Defined Benefit Plan, Change in Benefit Obligation [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	840	768
Defined Benefit Plan, Service Cost	12	14	18
Defined Benefit Plan, Interest Cost	32	35	33
Defined Benefit Plan, Contributions by Plan Participants	0	0
Defined Benefit Plan, Actuarial Gain (Loss)	(36)	74
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefits Paid	(63)	(51)
Ending balance	785	840	768
Defined Benefit Plan, Accumulated Benefit Obligation	773	825
Defined Benefit Plan, Funded Status of Plan [Abstract]
Defined Benefit Plan, Funded Status of Plan	(107)	(110)
Defined Benefit Plan, Assets for Plan Benefits, Noncurrent	7	12
Other current liabilities	(8)	(8)
Pension and Other Postretirement Defined Benefit Plans, Liabilities, Noncurrent	(106)	(114)
Defined Benefit Plan, Amounts Recognized in Balance Sheet	(107)	(110)
MidAmerican Energy Company [Member] | Domestic Other Postretirement Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan, Change in Fair Value of Plan Assets [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	259	256
Defined Benefit Plan, Contributions by Employer	1	1
Defined Benefit Plan, Contributions by Plan Participants	1	1
Defined Benefit Plan, Actual Return on Plan Assets	0	13
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefits Paid	(12)	(12)
Ending balance	249	259	256
Defined Benefit Plan, Change in Benefit Obligation [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	249	235
Defined Benefit Plan, Service Cost	7	6	5
Defined Benefit Plan, Interest Cost	9	10	8
Defined Benefit Plan, Contributions by Plan Participants	1	1
Defined Benefit Plan, Actuarial Gain (Loss)	(20)	9
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefits Paid	(12)	(12)
Ending balance	234	249	$ 235
Defined Benefit Plan, Funded Status of Plan [Abstract]
Defined Benefit Plan, Funded Status of Plan	15	10
Defined Benefit Plan, Assets for Plan Benefits, Noncurrent	15	10
Other current liabilities	0	0
Pension and Other Postretirement Defined Benefit Plans, Liabilities, Noncurrent	0	0
Defined Benefit Plan, Amounts Recognized in Balance Sheet	15	10
BHE [Member] | MidAmerican Energy Company [Member] | Supplemental Employee Retirement Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plans, Supplemental Employee Retirement Plans [Abstract]
Life Insurance, Corporate or Bank Owned, Amount	156	156
MidAmerican Energy Company [Member] | MidAmerican Energy Company [Member] | Supplemental Employee Retirement Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plans, Supplemental Employee Retirement Plans [Abstract]
Life Insurance, Corporate or Bank Owned, Amount	$ 104	$ 103