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Guarantor Obligations, Expiration Dates, Lower Limit

No definition available.

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Guarantor Obligations, Expiration Dates, Upper Limit

No definition available.

Name:	aes_GuarantorObligationsExpirationDatesUpperLimit
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Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
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The maximum of the per annum range of letter of credit fees as a percent of the outstanding amount.

No definition available.

Name:	aes_LetterOfCreditFeeRangeMaximum
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Data Type:	num:percentItemType
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The minimum of the per annum range of letter of credit fees as a percent of the outstanding amount.

No definition available.

Name:	aes_LetterOfCreditFeeRangeMinimum
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Data Type:	num:percentItemType
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Number of agreements under which the Parent Company has contingent contractual obligations.

No definition available.

Name:	aes_ObligationsNumberOfAgreements
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Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
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Reversal Of Legal Contingency

No definition available.

Name:	aes_ReversalOfLegalContingency
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Total costs accrued as of the balance sheet date for environmental loss contingencies.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14326-108349

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 410
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-Section 50
-Paragraph 7
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6393242&loc=d3e13207-110859

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 25
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6395460&loc=d3e13647-108346

Name:	us-gaap_AccrualForEnvironmentalLossContingencies
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- References

No definition available.

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Maximum potential amount of future payments (undiscounted) the guarantor could be required to make under the guarantee or each group of similar guarantees before reduction for potential recoveries under recourse or collateralization provisions.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 460
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (b)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6851643&loc=d3e12069-110248

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingenciesLineItems
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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingencyAbstract
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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
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Amount of loss contingency liability.

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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Reflects the estimated amount of loss from the specified contingency as of the balance sheet date.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14435-108349

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
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-Topic 450
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-Section 50
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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14557-108349

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
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The amount for the individual regulatory liability as itemized in a table of regulatory liabilities as of the end of the period.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 980
-SubTopic 405
-Section 25
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6500807&loc=d3e48068-110394

Name:	us-gaap_RegulatoryLiabilities
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis=us-gaap_FinancialStandbyLetterOfCreditMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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Name:	us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis=us-gaap_GuaranteesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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Name:	us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis=us-gaap_IndemnificationGuaranteeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis=aes_EnvironmentalMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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Name:	us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis=aes_LitigationMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=aes_EletropauloDomain
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=aes_RegulatedRevenueMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=us-gaap_InterestExpenseMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_SecuredDebtMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_UnsecuredDebtMember
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Data Type:	na
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Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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