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Pension and Postretirement Plans (Narrative) (Details)
3 Months Ended 9 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016
USD ($)
Investment
companies
Dec. 31, 2015
USD ($)
Investment
Sep. 30, 2015
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2014
USD ($)
Sep. 30, 2014
USD ($)
Mar. 31, 2014
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2016
USD ($)
Investment
companies
Dec. 31, 2016
USD ($)
multiemployer_plan
Investment
companies
Dec. 31, 2015
USD ($)
multiemployer_plan
Investment
Dec. 31, 2014
USD ($)
multiemployer_plan
Retirement Benefits Disclosure [Line Items]                    
Early retirement and special separation benefit program expense               $ 0 $ 4,606,000 $ 8,374,000
Expense associated with the retirement benefits provided under incentive savings plans               7,500,000 7,600,000 8,600,000
Pension Plans [Member]                    
Retirement Benefits Disclosure [Line Items]                    
Percent of Plan Assets Managed Internally by Company             44.00%      
Percent Of Plan Assets Managed By Investment Companies             56.00%      
Early retirement and special separation benefit program expense               0 4,606,000 8,374,000
Accumulated benefit obligation $ 1,137,900,000 $ 1,219,700,000         $ 1,137,900,000 1,137,900,000 1,219,700,000  
Company contributions               0 0 0
Estimated employer contributions in next fiscal year               0    
Net Periodic Cost (Benefit) for the Year               $ (49,104,000) $ (63,269,000) (69,406,000)
Number of investment companies actively managing plan assets | companies 2           2 2    
Percentage of total plan assets 100.00% 100.00%         100.00% 100.00% 100.00%  
Curtailment               $ 0 $ 3,267,000 0
Settlement $ (18,000,000)             17,993,000 0 0
Pension Plans [Member] | Discontinued Operations [Member]                    
Retirement Benefits Disclosure [Line Items]                    
Net Periodic Cost (Benefit) for the Year                 1,900,000 3,700,000
Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (SERP) [Member]                    
Retirement Benefits Disclosure [Line Items]                    
Early retirement and special separation benefit program expense               0 0 2,422,000
Accumulated benefit obligation $ 103,000,000 $ 102,500,000         $ 103,000,000 103,000,000 102,500,000  
Company contributions               4,967,000 6,083,000  
Net Periodic Cost (Benefit) for the Year               8,485,000 9,968,000 7,481,000
Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (SERP) [Member] | Discontinued Operations [Member]                    
Retirement Benefits Disclosure [Line Items]                    
Net Periodic Cost (Benefit) for the Year                 200,000 500,000
Other Postretirement Plans [Member]                    
Retirement Benefits Disclosure [Line Items]                    
Company contributions               852,000 1,900,000  
Net Periodic Cost (Benefit) for the Year               779,000 1,132,000 89,000
Curtailment               $ 0 $ 0 $ 1,292,000
Discount rate to determine benefit obligation 3.31% 3.45%         3.31% 3.31% 3.45%  
Discount rate to determine periodic cost               3.45% 3.25% 3.80%
Other Postretirement Plans [Member] | Pre-Age 65 [Member]                    
Retirement Benefits Disclosure [Line Items]                    
Assumed health care cost trend rate               7.15%    
Direction of change for assumed health care cost trend rate               decreasing    
Ultimate health care cost trend rate               4.50%    
Year that rate reaches ultimate trend rate 2025           2025 2025    
Other Postretirement Plans [Member] | Post-Age 65 [Member]                    
Retirement Benefits Disclosure [Line Items]                    
Assumed health care cost trend rate               8.65%    
Direction of change for assumed health care cost trend rate               decreasing    
Ultimate health care cost trend rate               4.50%    
Year that rate reaches ultimate trend rate 2025           2025 2025    
Multiemployer Pension Plans [Member]                    
Retirement Benefits Disclosure [Line Items]                    
Number of multiemployer plans contributed to | multiemployer_plan               1 1 1
Contributions to multiemployer pension plans               $ 100,000 $ 100,000 $ 100,000
Berkshire Hathaway Common Stock [Member] | Pension Plans [Member]                    
Retirement Benefits Disclosure [Line Items]                    
Defined benefit plan, target allocation maximum percentage of assets, singular equity security, without prior approval by plan administrator               20.00%    
Foreign Investments [Member] | Pension Plans [Member]                    
Retirement Benefits Disclosure [Line Items]                    
Defined benefit plan, target allocation maximum percentage of assets, equity securities               23.00%    
Fixed income securities [Member] | Pension Plans [Member]                    
Retirement Benefits Disclosure [Line Items]                    
Defined benefit plan, target allocation percentage of assets, fixed-income securities, range minimum               10.00%    
Geographic Concentration [Member] | Foreign Investments [Member] | Pension Plans [Member]                    
Retirement Benefits Disclosure [Line Items]                    
Number of foreign countries for which the companys pension plan holds investments that exceed 10% of total plan assets | Investment   1             1  
Value of investments   $ 332,400,000             $ 332,400,000  
Percentage of total plan assets   15.00%             15.00%  
Single Equity Concentration [Member] | Pension Plans [Member]                    
Retirement Benefits Disclosure [Line Items]                    
Defined benefit plan, target allocation maximum percentage of assets, singular equity security, without prior approval by plan administrator               10.00%    
Value of investments $ 978,800,000 $ 562,600,000         $ 978,800,000 $ 978,800,000 $ 562,600,000  
Percentage of total plan assets 48.00% 25.00%         48.00% 48.00% 25.00%  
Single Equity Concentration [Member] | Equity securities [Member] | Pension Plans [Member]                    
Retirement Benefits Disclosure [Line Items]                    
Number of investments the company's pension plan held which individually exceed 10% of total plan assets | Investment 1 2         1 1 2  
Single Equity Concentration [Member] | Equity funds [Member] | Pension Plans [Member]                    
Retirement Benefits Disclosure [Line Items]                    
Number of investments the company's pension plan held which individually exceed 10% of total plan assets | Investment 1           1 1    
Defined Benefit Plan Assets Total [Member] | Concentration In Single Entity, Type Of Industry, Foreign Country Or Individual Fund [Member] | Pension Plans [Member]                    
Retirement Benefits Disclosure [Line Items]                    
Minimum percentage of plan assets considered as significant concentrations in pension plans               10.00%    
Voluntary Retirement Incentive Program [Member] | Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (SERP) [Member]                    
Retirement Benefits Disclosure [Line Items]                    
Early retirement and special separation benefit program expense                   $ 2,400,000
Education [Member] | Special Incentive Program [Member] | Pension Plans [Member]                    
Retirement Benefits Disclosure [Line Items]                    
Early retirement and special separation benefit program expense     $ 3,700,000              
Corporate Office [Member] | Special Incentive Program [Member] | Pension Plans [Member]                    
Retirement Benefits Disclosure [Line Items]                    
Early retirement and special separation benefit program expense   $ 900,000                
Corporate Office [Member] | Separation Incentive Program [Member] | Pension Plans [Member]                    
Retirement Benefits Disclosure [Line Items]                    
Early retirement and special separation benefit program expense           $ 4,500,000        
Corporate Office [Member] | Voluntary Retirement Incentive Program [Member] | Pension Plans [Member]                    
Retirement Benefits Disclosure [Line Items]                    
Early retirement and special separation benefit program expense         $ 3,900,000          
Corporate Office [Member] | Exchange of WPLG, Separation Incentive Program and VRIP [Member] | Other Postretirement Plans [Member]                    
Retirement Benefits Disclosure [Line Items]                    
Settlement       $ 1,300,000            
Cable Spin-Off [Member] | Pension Plans [Member] | Discontinued Operations [Member]                    
Retirement Benefits Disclosure [Line Items]                    
Curtailment                 $ 2,200,000  
Sale Of KHE Campuses Business [Member] | Pension Plans [Member]                    
Retirement Benefits Disclosure [Line Items]                    
Curtailment                 $ 1,100,000