Selected Quarterly Financial Data (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions		3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Dec. 09, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016		Sep. 30, 2016		Jun. 30, 2016		Mar. 31, 2016		Dec. 31, 2015		Sep. 30, 2015		Jun. 30, 2015		Mar. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Revenues		$ 3,544		$ 3,542		$ 3,229		$ 3,271		$ 3,219		$ 3,522		$ 3,656		$ 3,758		$ 13,586	$ 14,155	$ 16,124
Selected Quarterly Financial Information [Abstract]
Operating margin		662		688		574		509		717		665		755		721		2,433	2,858	2,980
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net of tax		56	[1]	230	[1]	(8)	[1]	83	[1]	54	[2]	198	[2]	274	[2]	261	[2]	361	787	1,091
(Loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax		(749)		(1)		(379)		(9)		(13)		5		(10)		(7)
NET INCOME (LOSS)		(693)		229		(387)		74		41		203		264		254		(777)	762	1,147
Net income (loss) attributable to The AES Corporation		$ (949)		$ 175		$ (482)		$ 126		$ (85)		$ 180		$ 69		$ 142		$ (1,130)	$ 306	$ 769
Basic income (loss) per share:
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation, net of tax		$ (0.30)		$ 0.26		$ (0.16)		$ 0.20		$ (0.11)		$ 0.26		$ 0.11		$ 0.21		$ 0.00	$ 0.48	$ 0.98
Income (loss) from discontinued operations attributable to The AES Corporation, net of tax		(1.14)		0.00		(0.57)		(0.01)		(0.02)		0.01		(0.01)		(0.01)		(1.72)	(0.03)	0.09
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE AES CORPORATION COMMON STOCKHOLDERS		(1.44)		0.26		(0.73)		0.19		(0.13)		0.27		0.10		0.20		(1.72)	0.45	1.07
Diluted income (loss) per share:
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation, net of tax		(0.30)		0.26		(0.16)		0.20		(0.11)		0.26		0.11		0.21		0.00	0.48	0.97
Income (loss) from discontinued operations attributable to The AES Corporation, net of tax		(1.14)		0.00		(0.57)		(0.01)		(0.02)		0.00		(0.01)		(0.01)		(1.71)	(0.04)	0.09
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE AES CORPORATION COMMON STOCKHOLDERS		(1.44)		0.26		(0.73)		0.19		(0.13)		0.26		0.10		0.20		(1.71)	0.44	1.06
Dividends declared per common share	$ 0.12	$ 0.23		$ 0.11		$ 0.00		$ 0.11		$ 0.21		$ 0.10		$ 0.10		$ 0.00		$ 0.45	$ 0.41	$ 0.25
Impairment expense pre-tax total		$ 625		$ 79		$ 235		$ 159		$ 326		$ 231		$ 37		$ 8
Net equity in earnings of affiliates																		$ (36)	$ (105)	$ (19)

[1] Includes pretax impairment expense of $159 million, $235 million, $79 million and $625 million, for the first, second, third and fourth quarters of 2016, respectively. See Note 20—Asset Impairment Expense for further discussion.

[2] Includes pretax impairment expense of $8 million, $37 million, $231 million and $326 million, for the first, second, third and fourth quarters of 2015, respectively. See Note 9—Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets and Note 20—Asset Impairment Expense for further discussion.