Segment Information - BHE (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2021	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2021	Jun. 30, 2020	Dec. 31, 2020
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenue	$ 6,064	$ 4,612	$ 12,145	$ 9,139
Depreciation and amortization	947	736	1,874	1,557
Operating income	1,208	936	2,541	1,855
Interest expense	532	503	1,062	986
Capitalized interest	14	19	28	36
Allowance for equity funds	30	38	56	72
Interest and dividend income	26	20	47	40
Gains on marketable securities, net	1,966	583	848	610
Other, net	48	52	56	25
Income (loss) before income tax expense (benefit) and equity income (loss)	2,760	1,145	2,514	1,652
Net income (loss)	2,281	1,116	2,285	1,786
Earnings on common shares	2,244	1,116	2,210	1,786
Assets	130,561		130,561		$ 127,316
PAC
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenue	1,298	1,144	2,540	2,350
Depreciation and amortization	275	210	539	462
Operating income	283	256	517	490
Interest expense	105	110	212	212
Earnings on common shares	226	167	395	343
Assets	27,235		27,235		26,862
MidAmerican Funding
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenue	693	616	1,760	1,302
Depreciation and amortization	209	175	416	351
Operating income	103	110	151	212
Interest expense	78	78	156	159
Earnings on common shares	211	208	355	358
Assets	24,156		24,156		23,530
NV Energy
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenue	767	695	1,358	1,317
Depreciation and amortization	137	125	273	249
Operating income	145	161	215	240
Interest expense	51	57	103	115
Earnings on common shares	100	98	134	118
Assets	14,839		14,839		14,501
Northern Powergrid
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenue	280	221	580	487
Depreciation and amortization	73	63	144	126
Operating income	126	89	277	221
Interest expense	32	31	65	63
Earnings on common shares	(25)	59	79	146
Assets	9,071		9,071		8,782
BHE Pipeline Group
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenue	706	225	1,799	626
Depreciation and amortization	121	25	239	89
Operating income	245	92	863	341
Interest expense	40	15	78	29
Earnings on common shares	100	64	483	243
Assets	19,739		19,739		19,541
BHE Transmission
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenue	182	169	362	341
Depreciation and amortization	60	55	118	115
Operating income	85	81	166	157
Interest expense	40	35	78	73
Earnings on common shares	60	60	119	115
Assets	9,516		9,516		9,208
BHE Renewables
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenue	267	244	457	422
Depreciation and amortization	61	71	121	142
Operating income	97	84	130	101
Interest expense	40	42	80	84
Earnings on common shares	181	138	197	233
Assets	11,754		11,754		12,004
HomeServices
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenue	1,763	1,193	2,995	2,086
Depreciation and amortization	12	12	23	23
Operating income	179	77	291	97
Interest expense	1	3	2	8
Earnings on common shares	135	59	219	69
Assets	5,410		5,410		4,955
BHE and Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenue	108	105	294	208
Depreciation and amortization	(1)	0	1	0
Operating income	(55)	(14)	(69)	(4)
Interest expense	145	132	288	243
Earnings on common shares	1,256	263	229	161
Assets	8,841		8,841		$ 7,933
United States
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenue	5,604	4,224	11,201	8,313
Income (loss) before income tax expense (benefit) and equity income (loss)	2,611	1,027	2,188	1,381
United Kingdom
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenue	280	221	580	487
Income (loss) before income tax expense (benefit) and equity income (loss)	104	59	236	168
Canada
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenue	180	167	357	338
Income (loss) before income tax expense (benefit) and equity income (loss)	46	46	85	86
Philippines and other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenue	0	0	7	1
Income (loss) before income tax expense (benefit) and equity income (loss)	$ (1)	$ 13	$ 5	$ 17