Financial Statement Presentation	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2013
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
FINANCIAL STATEMENT PRESENTATION	FINANCIAL STATEMENT PRESENTATION The prior-period condensed consolidated financial statements in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (“Form 10-Q”) have been reclassified to reflect the businesses held-for-sale and discontinued operations as discussed in Note 16 — Discontinued Operations and Held-for-Sale Businesses. Consolidation In this Quarterly Report the terms “AES,” “the Company,” “us” or “we” refer to the consolidated entity including its subsidiaries and affiliates. The terms “The AES Corporation,” “the Parent” or “the Parent Company” refer only to the publicly held holding company, The AES Corporation, excluding its subsidiaries and affiliates. Furthermore, variable interest entities (“VIEs”) in which the Company has a variable interest have been consolidated where the Company is the primary beneficiary. Investments in which the Company has the ability to exercise significant influence, but not control, are accounted for using the equity method of accounting. All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation. Interim Financial Presentation The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and footnotes have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”), as contained in the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification, for interim financial information and Article 10 of Regulation S-X issued by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Accordingly, they do not include all the information and footnotes required by U.S. GAAP for annual fiscal reporting periods. In the opinion of management, the interim financial information includes all adjustments of a normal recurring nature necessary for a fair presentation of the results of operations, financial position, comprehensive income and cash flows. The results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013 are not necessarily indicative of results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2013. The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements are unaudited and should be read in conjunction with the 2012 audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto, which are included in the 2012 Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 26, 2013 (the “2012 Form 10-K”). Accounting Pronouncements Issued But Not Yet Effective The following accounting standards have been issued, but are not yet effective for, and have not been adopted by AES. ASU No. 2013-11, Income Taxes (Topic 740), "Presentation of an Unrecognized Tax Benefit When a Net Operating Loss Carryforward, a Similar Tax Loss, or a Tax Credit Carryforward Exists (a consensus of the FASB Emerging Issues Task Force)." In July 2013, the FASB issued ASU No. 2013-11, which requires the netting of unrecognized tax benefits (“UTBs”) against a deferred tax asset for a loss or other carryforward that would apply in settlement of uncertain tax positions. Under the new standard, UTBs will be netted against all available same-jurisdiction loss or other tax carryforwards that would be utilized, rather than only against carryforwards that are created by the UTBs. ASU No. 2013-11 is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2013 and interim periods therein. The new standard requires prospective adoption, but allows optional retrospective adoption. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the method of adoption and the impact of adopting ASU No. 2013-11 on the Company's financial position. It will have no impact on the results of operations and cash flows. ASU No. 2013-7, Presentation of Financial Statements (Topic 205), "Liquidation Basis of Accounting" In April 2013, the FASB issued ASU No. 2013-7, which requires an entity to prepare financial statements on a liquidation basis when liquidation is imminent, unless the liquidation is the same as the plan specified in an entity's governing documents created at its inception. Under the liquidation basis of accounting, an entity will measure and present assets at the estimated amount of cash proceeds or other consideration that it expects to collect in settling or disposing of those assets in carrying out its plan for liquidation. This includes assets the entity previously had not recognized under U.S. GAAP, but expects to either sell in liquidation or use in settling liabilities (for example, trademarks). An entity will recognize and measure its liabilities in accordance with U.S. GAAP that otherwise applies to those liabilities. An entity should not anticipate it will be legally released from being the primary obligor under those liabilities, either judicially or by creditors. An entity will also accrue and separately present the costs it expects to incur and the income it expects to earn during the course of the liquidation, including any costs associated with the disposal or settlement of its assets and liabilities. ASU No. 2013-7 also requires additional disclosures. ASU No. 2013-7 is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2013. Early adoption is permitted. The adoption of ASU No, 2013-7 is not expected to have a significant impact on the Company's consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows. ASU No. 2013-5, Foreign Currency Matters (Topic 830), “Parent’s Accounting for the Cumulative Translation Adjustment upon Derecognition of Certain Subsidiaries or Groups of Assets within a Foreign Entity or of an Investment in a Foreign Entity.” In March 2013, the FASB issued ASU No. 2013-5, which requires an entity to release any related cumulative translation adjustment into net income when it ceases to have a controlling financial interest in a subsidiary or group of assets that is a business (other than a sale of in-substance real estate) within a foreign entity. Accordingly, the cumulative translation adjustment should be released into net income only if the sale or transfer results in the complete or substantially complete liquidation of the foreign entity in which the subsidiary or group of assets had resided. For an equity method investment that is a foreign entity, the partial sale guidance still applies. As such, a pro rata portion of the cumulative translation adjustment should be released into net income upon a partial sale of such an equity method investment. In those instances, the cumulative adjustment is released into net income only if the partial sale represents a complete or substantially complete liquidation of the foreign entity that contains the equity method investment. The amendments are effective prospectively for fiscal years (and interim reporting periods within those years) beginning after December 15, 2013. Any impact of adopting ASU No. 2013-5 on the Company’s financial position and results of operations will depend on the nature and extent of future sales or dispositions of any entities that had created a cumulative translation adjustment.

FINANCIAL STATEMENT PRESENTATION

The prior-period condensed consolidated financial statements in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (“Form 10-Q”) have been reclassified to reflect the businesses held-for-sale and discontinued operations as discussed in Note 16 — Discontinued Operations and Held-for-Sale Businesses.

Consolidation

In this Quarterly Report the terms “AES,” “the Company,” “us” or “we” refer to the consolidated entity including its subsidiaries and affiliates. The terms “The AES Corporation,” “the Parent” or “the Parent Company” refer only to the publicly held holding company, The AES Corporation, excluding its subsidiaries and affiliates. Furthermore, variable interest entities (“VIEs”) in which the Company has a variable interest have been consolidated where the Company is the primary beneficiary. Investments in which the Company has the ability to exercise significant influence, but not control, are accounted for using the equity method of accounting. All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation.

Interim Financial Presentation

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and footnotes have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”), as contained in the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification, for interim financial information and Article 10 of Regulation S-X issued by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Accordingly, they do not include all the information and footnotes required by U.S. GAAP for annual fiscal reporting periods. In the opinion of management, the interim financial information includes all adjustments of a normal recurring nature necessary for a fair presentation of the results of operations, financial position, comprehensive income and cash flows. The results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013 are not necessarily indicative of results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2013. The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements are unaudited and should be read in conjunction with the 2012 audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto, which are included in the 2012 Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 26, 2013 (the “2012 Form 10-K”).

Accounting Pronouncements Issued But Not Yet Effective

The following accounting standards have been issued, but are not yet effective for, and have not been adopted by AES.

ASU No. 2013-11, Income Taxes (Topic 740), "Presentation of an Unrecognized Tax Benefit When a Net Operating Loss Carryforward, a Similar Tax Loss, or a Tax Credit Carryforward Exists (a consensus of the FASB Emerging Issues Task Force)."

In July 2013, the FASB issued ASU No. 2013-11, which requires the netting of unrecognized tax benefits (“UTBs”) against a deferred tax asset for a loss or other carryforward that would apply in settlement of uncertain tax positions. Under the new standard, UTBs will be netted against all available same-jurisdiction loss or other tax carryforwards that would be utilized, rather than only against carryforwards that are created by the UTBs. ASU No. 2013-11 is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2013 and interim periods therein. The new standard requires prospective adoption, but allows optional retrospective adoption. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the method of adoption and the impact of adopting ASU No. 2013-11 on the Company's financial position. It will have no impact on the results of operations and cash flows.

ASU No. 2013-7, Presentation of Financial Statements (Topic 205), "Liquidation Basis of Accounting"

In April 2013, the FASB issued ASU No. 2013-7, which requires an entity to prepare financial statements on a liquidation basis when liquidation is imminent, unless the liquidation is the same as the plan specified in an entity's governing documents created at its inception. Under the liquidation basis of accounting, an entity will measure and present assets at the estimated amount of cash proceeds or other consideration that it expects to collect in settling or disposing of those assets in carrying out its plan for liquidation. This includes assets the entity previously had not recognized under U.S. GAAP, but expects to either sell in liquidation or use in settling liabilities (for example, trademarks). An entity will recognize and measure its liabilities in accordance with U.S. GAAP that otherwise applies to those liabilities. An entity should not anticipate it will be legally released from being the primary obligor under those liabilities, either judicially or by creditors. An entity will also accrue and separately present the costs it expects to incur and the income it expects to earn during the course of the liquidation, including any costs associated with the disposal or settlement of its assets and liabilities. ASU No. 2013-7 also requires additional disclosures. ASU No. 2013-7 is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2013. Early adoption is permitted. The adoption of ASU No, 2013-7 is not expected to have a significant impact on the Company's consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

ASU No. 2013-5, Foreign Currency Matters (Topic 830), “Parent’s Accounting for the Cumulative Translation Adjustment upon Derecognition of Certain Subsidiaries or Groups of Assets within a Foreign Entity or of an Investment in a Foreign Entity.”

In March 2013, the FASB issued ASU No. 2013-5, which requires an entity to release any related cumulative translation adjustment into net income when it ceases to have a controlling financial interest in a subsidiary or group of assets that is a business (other than a sale of in-substance real estate) within a foreign entity. Accordingly, the cumulative translation adjustment should be released into net income only if the sale or transfer results in the complete or substantially complete liquidation of the foreign entity in which the subsidiary or group of assets had resided. For an equity method investment that is a foreign entity, the partial sale guidance still applies. As such, a pro rata portion of the cumulative translation adjustment should be released into net income upon a partial sale of such an equity method investment. In those instances, the cumulative adjustment is released into net income only if the partial sale represents a complete or substantially complete liquidation of the foreign entity that contains the equity method investment. The amendments are effective prospectively for fiscal years (and interim reporting periods within those years) beginning after December 15, 2013. Any impact of adopting ASU No. 2013-5 on the Company’s financial position and results of operations will depend on the nature and extent of future sales or dispositions of any entities that had created a cumulative translation adjustment.