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Contingencies and commitments - Narrative (Details) $ in Millions |  |  |  | 1 Months Ended | 4 Months Ended | 6 Months Ended | 45 Months Ended
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Feb. 01, 2024 USD ($) | Oct. 31, 2023 USD ($) Cases | Jul. 29, 2022 a People Structure | Aug. 05, 2024 USD ($) | Jun. 30, 2024 USD ($) | Apr. 30, 2024 USD ($) | Mar. 31, 2024 USD ($) Plaintiff | Jan. 31, 2024 USD ($) Plaintiff | Sep. 30, 2023 Trial | Jun. 30, 2023 USD ($) Wildfire | Apr. 30, 2023 Plaintiff | Sep. 30, 2020 a Structure | Jul. 31, 2024 Plaintiff Complaint | Jun. 30, 2024 USD ($) Cases | Jun. 30, 2023 USD ($) | Jun. 30, 2024 USD ($)
Berkshire Hathaway Energy Company [Member] | PacifiCorp [Member] | Wildfires [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss contingency, sought amount |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 3,000 |  |
Estimated pre-tax probable loss |  |  |  |  | $ 2,700 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 2,700 |  | $ 2,700
Legal settlements amount paid |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 775
Unpaid estimated liability |  |  |  |  | 1,900 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,900 |  | 1,900
Settlement payments to be paid |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 199 |  |
Accrued losses |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 251 | $ 541 |
Expected insurance recoveries |  |  |  |  | 534 |  |  |  |  | $ 133 |  |  |  | 534 | $ 133 | $ 534
Berkshire Hathaway Energy Company [Member] | PacifiCorp [Member] | Wildfires [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Legal settlements amount paid |  |  |  | $ 246 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Berkshire Hathaway Energy Company [Member] | PacifiCorp [Member] | 2022 Wildfire [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of structures destroyed | Structure |  |  | 185 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of structures damaged | Structure |  |  | 11 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of injuries in wildfire | People |  |  | 12 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of fatalities in wildfire | People |  |  | 4 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Berkshire Hathaway Energy Company [Member] | PacifiCorp [Member] | James Case Multnomah County Circuit Court [Member] | 2020 Wildfires [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of named plaintiffs | Plaintiff |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 17 |  |  |  |  |
Number of wildfires associated to complaints | Wildfire |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 4 |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss contingency, sought amount |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 43,000 |  |
Loss contingency, awarded value |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 92 |  | $ 90 |  |  |  |  |  |
Multiplier used to determine economic and non-economic damages |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0.25 |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss contingency, accrual interest rate |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 9.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss contingency, number of trials | Trial |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 3 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Berkshire Hathaway Energy Company [Member] | PacifiCorp [Member] | James Case Multnomah County Circuit Court [Member] | 2020 Wildfires [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of named plaintiffs | Plaintiff |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,443 |  |  |
Number of complaints | Complaint |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 4 |  |  |
Berkshire Hathaway Energy Company [Member] | PacifiCorp [Member] | James Case Multnomah County Circuit Court [Member] | Commercial Timber Plaintiffs [Member] | Settled Litigation [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of named plaintiffs | Plaintiff |  |  |  |  |  |  | 5 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Berkshire Hathaway Energy Company [Member] | PacifiCorp [Member] | James Case Multnomah County Circuit Court [Member] | Economic Damages [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss contingency, awarded value |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 4 |  |  |  |  |  |
Berkshire Hathaway Energy Company [Member] | PacifiCorp [Member] | James Case Multnomah County Circuit Court [Member] | Non-Economic Damages [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss contingency, awarded value |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 68 |  |  |  |  |  |
Berkshire Hathaway Energy Company [Member] | PacifiCorp [Member] | James Case Multnomah County Circuit Court [Member] | Punitive Damages [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss contingency, awarded value |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 18 |  |  |  |  |  |
Berkshire Hathaway Energy Company [Member] | PacifiCorp [Member] | James Case Multnomah County Circuit Court First Trial [Member] | 2020 Wildfires [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of named plaintiffs | Plaintiff |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 9 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss contingency, awarded value | $ 84 |  |  |  |  | $ 80 |  | $ 62 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Berkshire Hathaway Energy Company [Member] | PacifiCorp [Member] | James Case Multnomah County Circuit Court First Trial [Member] | Economic Damages [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss contingency, awarded value | 6 |  |  |  |  |  |  | 6 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Berkshire Hathaway Energy Company [Member] | PacifiCorp [Member] | James Case Multnomah County Circuit Court First Trial [Member] | Non-Economic Damages [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss contingency, awarded value |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 56 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Berkshire Hathaway Energy Company [Member] | PacifiCorp [Member] | James Case Multnomah County Circuit Court First Trial [Member] | Punitive Damages [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss contingency, awarded value | $ 16 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Berkshire Hathaway Energy Company [Member] | PacifiCorp [Member] | James Case Multnomah County Circuit Court Second Trial [Member] | 2020 Wildfires [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of named plaintiffs | Plaintiff |  |  |  |  |  |  | 10 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss contingency, awarded value |  |  |  |  | $ 38 |  | $ 42 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Berkshire Hathaway Energy Company [Member] | PacifiCorp [Member] | James Case Multnomah County Circuit Court Second Trial [Member] | Economic Damages [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss contingency, awarded value |  |  |  |  |  |  | 12 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Berkshire Hathaway Energy Company [Member] | PacifiCorp [Member] | James Case Multnomah County Circuit Court Second Trial [Member] | Noneconomic and Punitive Damages [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss contingency, awarded value |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 30 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Berkshire Hathaway Energy Company [Member] | HomeServices of America [Member] | Antitrust Cases [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss contingency, sought amount |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 9,000 |  |
Number of cases | Cases |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 2 |  |
Berkshire Hathaway Energy Company [Member] | HomeServices of America [Member] | Antitrust Burnett Case [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss contingency, awarded value |  | $ 1,800 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Litigation settlement, scheduled payments term |  |  |  |  |  | 4 years |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Settlement payments to be paid |  |  |  |  |  | $ 250 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of cases | Cases |  | 1 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Berkshire Hathaway Energy Company [Member] | Minimum [Member] | PacifiCorp [Member] | 2020 Wildfires [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of acres aggregate of wildfire | a |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 500,000 |  |  |  |
Number of structures destroyed | Structure |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 2,000 |  |  |  |
Berkshire Hathaway Energy Company [Member] | Minimum [Member] | PacifiCorp [Member] | 2022 Wildfire [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of acres aggregate of wildfire | a |  |  | 60,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Subsidiaries [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Energy [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of subsidiary ownership |  |  |  |  | 92.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 92.00% |  | 92.00%

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