Fair Value Measurements - Level 3 (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Commodity derivative [Member]
Fair Value, Assets (Liabilities), Net, Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	$ 97	$ 99
Changes included in earnings	(3)	(3)
Changes in fair value recognized in net regulatory assets	(40)	(11)
Fair Value, Measurement with Unobservable Inputs Reconciliation, Recurring Basis, Asset, Purchases	2	1
Settlements	(4)	0
Ending balance	52	86
Interest Rate Lock Commitments [Member]
Fair Value, Assets (Liabilities), Net, Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	14	10
Changes included in earnings	72	53
Changes in fair value recognized in net regulatory assets	0	0
Fair Value, Measurement with Unobservable Inputs Reconciliation, Recurring Basis, Asset, Purchases	0	0
Settlements	(41)	(45)
Ending balance	$ 45	$ 18

A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.

No definition available.

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- Definition

This element represents assets and liabilities, net measured at fair value using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) which is required for reconciliation purposes of beginning and ending balances.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Settlements that have taken place during the period in relation to assets and liabilities, net measured at fair value and categorized within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	bhe_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of gain (loss) recognized in regulatory assets or liabilities, net, arising from assets, liabilities and financial instruments classified in shareholders' equity measured at fair value on a recurring basis using unobservable inputs (level 3).

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bhe_FairValueMeasurementsWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisGainLossIncludedInRegulatoryAssetsAndLiabilitiesNet
Namespace Prefix:	bhe_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of gain (loss) recognized in income from asset and liability measured at fair value on recurring basis using unobservable input (level 3).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=117815213&loc=d3e19207-110258

+ Details

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Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of purchases of financial instrument classified as an asset measured using unobservable inputs that reflect the entity's own assumption about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=117815213&loc=d3e19207-110258

+ Details

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- Details

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- Details

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