Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Millions, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014
BASIC EARNINGS PER SHARE
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders (Income)	$ 69	$ 142	$ 211	$ 95
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders (Shares)	693	725	698	725
Income from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders, net of tax	$ 0.10	$ 0.20	$ 0.30	$ 0.13
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Stock options (Shares)	0	1	1	1
Restricted stock units (Shares)	2	2	2	2
Diluted Earnings Per Share (Income)	$ 69	$ 142	$ 211	$ 95
Diluted Earnings Per Share (Shares)	695	728	701	728
Diluted Earnings Per Share	$ 0.10	$ 0.20	$ 0.30	$ 0.13
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations, Per Diluted Share	0.10	0.20	0.30	0.13
Earnings Per Share, Diluted	$ 0.10	$ 0.18	$ 0.30	$ 0.10
Convertible Debt Securities [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, Amount			15	15
Stock Compensation Plan [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, Amount			6	7