The proportionate share of interest (percent) in a jointly owned utility plant.

No definition available.

Name:	bhe_JointlyOwnedUtilityPlantProportionateOwnershipPercentageShare
Namespace Prefix:	bhe_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The period end amount owned by the reporting utility of a jointly owned utility plant in service.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 980
-SubTopic 360
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SAB Topic 10.C)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=115995737&loc=d3e659983-123033

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_JointlyOwnedUtilityPlantGrossOwnershipAmountOfPlantInService
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_JointlyOwnedUtilityPlantInterestsLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The period end amount of construction work in progress at a jointly owned electricity generation plant.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_JointlyOwnedUtilityPlantOwnershipAmountOfConstructionWorkInProgress
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The period end amount of accumulated depreciation in a jointly owned electricity generation plant.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

The proportionate share of interest (percent) in a jointly owned utility plant.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_JointlyOwnedUtilityPlantProportionateOwnershipShare
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=bhe_NevadaPowerCompanyMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_JointlyOwnedUtilityPlantAxis=bhe_NavajoGeneratingStationMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_JointlyOwnedUtilityPlantAxis=bhe_ONLineTransmissionLineMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_JointlyOwnedUtilityPlantAxis=bhe_OtherTransmissionFacilitiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: