Income Taxes (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2013

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

Income Tax Expense On Continuing Operations

The following table summarizes the expense for income taxes on continuing operations, for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011:

	2013			2012			2011
	(in millions)
Federal:
Current	$	(28	)	$	—		$	—
Deferred	(110		)	24			(150		)
State:
Current	1			(2		)	1
Deferred	1			(11		)	1
Foreign:
Current	509			538			837
Deferred	(30		)	136			(33		)
Total	$	343		$	685		$	656

Reconciliation Of US Federal Income Tax Rates And AES Effective Tax Rate For The Current And Two Prior Years

The following table summarizes a reconciliation of the U.S. statutory federal income tax rate to the Company’s effective tax rate, as a percentage of income from continuing operations before taxes for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011:

	2013		2012		2011
Statutory Federal tax rate	35	%	35	%	35	%
State taxes, net of Federal tax benefit	(3	)%	(21	)%	—	%
Taxes on foreign earnings	(4	)%	(32	)%	(2	)%
Valuation allowance	—	%	16	%	(3	)%
Uncertain tax positions	(5	)%	9	%	—	%
Bad debt deduction	(3	)%	—	%	—	%
Change in tax law	(1	)%	17	%	—	%
Goodwill impairment	12	%	276	%	—	%
Other—net	2	%	(2	)%	(1	)%
Effective tax rate	33	%	298	%	29	%

Schedule Of Income Tax Payable And Receivable

	2013		2012
	(in millions)
Income taxes receivable—current	$	206	$	294
Income taxes receivable—noncurrent	—		15
Total income taxes receivable	$	206	$	309
Income taxes payable—current	$	322	$	393
Income taxes payable—noncurrent	2		2
Total income taxes payable	$	324	$	395

Summary Of Deferred Tax Assets And Liabilities

The following table summarizes the deferred tax assets and liabilities, as of December 31, 2013 and 2012:

	2013			2012
	(in millions)
Differences between book and tax basis of property	$	(2,178	)	$	(2,089	)
Other taxable temporary differences	(337		)	(377		)
Total deferred tax liability	(2,515		)	(2,466		)
Operating loss carryforwards	2,108			1,592
Capital loss carryforwards	103			108
Bad debt and other book provisions	277			330
Retirement costs	291			611
Tax credit carryforwards	38			46
Other deductible temporary differences	420			512
Total gross deferred tax asset	3,237			3,199
Less: valuation allowance	(1,090		)	(895		)
Total net deferred tax asset	2,147			2,304
Net deferred tax asset (liability)	$	(368	)	$	(162	)

Income Before Income Taxes, Foreign And Domestic

The following table summarizes the income (loss) from continuing operations, before income taxes, net equity in earnings of affiliates and noncontrolling interests, for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011:

	2013			2012			2011
	(in millions)
U.S.	$	(575	)	$	(1,921	)	$	(524	)
Non-U.S.	1,623			2,151			2,784
Total	$	1,048		$	230		$	2,260

Tax Years Potentially Subject To Examination And Jurisdictions

The following is a summary of tax years potentially subject to examination in the significant tax and business jurisdictions in which we operate:

Jurisdiction	Tax Years Subject to Examination
Argentina	2006-2013
Brazil	2008-2013
Chile	2009-2013
Colombia	2011-2013
El Salvador	2010-2013
United Kingdom	2009-2013
United States (Federal)	2010-2013

Unrecognized Tax Benefits

The following is a reconciliation of the beginning and ending amounts of unrecognized tax benefits for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011:

	2013			2012			2011
	(in millions)
Balance at January 1	$	475		$	464		$	430
Additions for current year tax positions	7			12			6
Additions for tax positions of prior years	10			29			49
Reductions for tax positions of prior years	(3		)	(29		)	(18		)
Effects of foreign currency translation	—			—			(1		)
Settlements	(65		)	—			—
Lapse of statute of limitations	(32		)	(1		)	(2		)
Balance at December 31	$	392		$	475		$	464