Segment Information - Goodwill (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	$ 9,343	$ 7,527
Acquisitions	77	1,935
Foreign currency translation	(318)	(93)
Other	(26)	(26)
Ending balance	9,076	9,343
PacifiCorp [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	1,129	1,129
Acquisitions	0	0
Foreign currency translation	0	0
Other	0	0
Ending balance	1,129	1,129
MidAmerican Funding [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	2,102	2,102
Acquisitions	0	0
Foreign currency translation	0	0
Other	0	0
Ending balance	2,102	2,102
NV Energy [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	2,369	2,280
Acquisitions	0	89
Foreign currency translation	0	0
Other	0	0
Ending balance	2,369	2,369
Northern Powergrid Holdings [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	1,100	1,149
Acquisitions	0	0
Foreign currency translation	(44)	(49)
Other	0	0
Ending balance	1,056	1,100
BHE Pipeline Group [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	127	153
Acquisitions	0	0
Foreign currency translation	0	0
Other	(26)	(26)
Ending balance	101	127
BHE Transmission [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	1,657	0
Acquisitions	44	1,700
Foreign currency translation	(273)	(43)
Other	0	0
Ending balance	1,428	1,657
BHE Renewables [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	95	15
Acquisitions	0	80
Foreign currency translation	0	0
Other	0	0
Ending balance	95	95
HomeServices [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	761	695
Acquisitions	33	66
Foreign currency translation	0	0
Other	0	0
Ending balance	794	761
Other [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	3	4
Acquisitions	0	0
Foreign currency translation	(1)	(1)
Other	0	0
Ending balance	$ 2	$ 3