Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Millions, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
BASIC EARNINGS PER SHARE
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders (Income)	$ 176	$ 175	$ 208	$ 403
Income (loss) from continuing operations, after Adjustment to Retained Earnings, Basic Earnings	$ 171		$ 203
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders (Shares)	659	679	660	692
Income from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders, net of tax	$ 0.26	$ 0.26	$ 0.31	$ 0.58
EFFECT OF DILUTIVE SECURITIES
Dilutive Securities, Effect on Basic Earnings Per Share, Options and Restrictive Stock Units			$ 0	$ 0
Stock options (Shares)	0	1
Restricted stock units (Shares)	3	2	2	2
Dilutive Securities Effect On Basic EPS, dilutive Restricted Stock Units, per diluted share	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00
Dilutive Securities Effect On Basic EPS, dilutive Stock Options, per diluted share	0.00	$ 0.00
Diluted Earnings Per Share (Income)		$ 175		$ 403
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations, Per Diluted Share	0.26	$ 0.26	0.31	$ 0.58
Earnings Per Share, Diluted	$ 0.26	$ 0.26	$ (0.28)	$ 0.56
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Income (loss) from continuing operations, after Adjustment to Retained Earnings, Diluted Earnings	$ 171		$ 203
Equity Option [Member]
EFFECT OF DILUTIVE SECURITIES
Dilutive Securities, Effect on Basic Earnings Per Share, Options and Restrictive Stock Units	0	$ 0
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member]
EFFECT OF DILUTIVE SECURITIES
Dilutive Securities, Effect on Basic Earnings Per Share, Options and Restrictive Stock Units	$ 0	$ 0
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	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			7

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