Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Millions	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015
OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income (loss)	$ (313)	$ 518
Adjustments to net income:
Depreciation and amortization	586	597
Gain on sales and disposals of businesses	(30)	0
Impairment expenses	396	45
Deferred income taxes	(443)	17
Provisions for (reversals of) contingencies	21	(134)
(Gain) loss on extinguishment of debt	(4)	141
(Gain) loss on extinguishment of debt	(4)	145
Loss on sales of assets	14	12
Impairments of discontinued operations and held-for-sale businesses	783	0
Other	79	70
Changes in operating assets and liabilities
(Increase) decrease in accounts receivable	366	(444)
(Increase) decrease in inventory	12	(54)
(Increase) decrease in prepaid expenses and other current assets	473	132
(Increase) decrease in other assets	(172)	(815)
Increase (decrease) in accounts payable and other current liabilities	(557)	179
Increase (decrease) in income tax payables, net and other tax payables	(255)	(131)
Increase (decrease) in other liabilities	407	453
Net cash provided by operating activities	1,363	590
INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Capital expenditures	(1,255)	(1,168)
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(11)	(18)
Proceeds from the sale of businesses, net of cash sold	156	2
Sale of short-term investments	2,762	2,460
Purchase of short-term investments	(2,806)	(2,270)
Increase in restricted cash, debt service reserves and other assets	(142)	(51)
Other investing	(30)	(25)
Net cash used in investing activities	(1,326)	(1,070)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Borrowings under the revolving credit facilities	664	361
Repayments under the revolving credit facilities	(681)	(359)
Issuance of recourse debt	500	575
Repayments of recourse debt	(611)	(915)
Issuance of non-recourse debt	1,534	1,940
Repayments of non-recourse debt	(1,054)	(1,457)
Payments for financing fees	(55)	(40)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(236)	(113)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests	94	97
Proceeds from the sale of redeemable stock of subsidiaries	134	461
Dividends paid on AES common stock	(145)	(141)
Payments for financed capital expenditures	(87)	(84)
Purchase of treasury stock	(79)	(307)
Other financing	(21)	(29)
Net cash used in financing activities	(43)	(11)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	8	(19)
Decrease in cash of discontinued operations and held-for-sale businesses	6	12
Total increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	8	(498)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning	1,257	1,517
Cash and cash equivalents, ending	1,265	1,019
SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURES:
Cash payments for interest, net of amounts capitalized	615	665
Cash payments for income taxes, net of refunds	347	247
SCHEDULE OF NONCASH INVESTING AND FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Assets acquired through capital lease and other liabilities	$ 5	$ 10