Fair Value Measurements - SPPC - Debt (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Long-term debt, carrying value	$ 36,203	$ 37,972
Sierra Pacific Power Company [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Long-term debt, carrying value	1,120	1,165
Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Long-term debt, fair value	42,970	41,785
Level 2 [Member] \| Sierra Pacific Power Company [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Long-term debt, fair value	$ 1,246	$ 1,248

Amount, after unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs, of long-term debt. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(a)(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(22))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Name:	us-gaap_LongTermDebt
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant