Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Revenue:
Regulated	$ 6,629	$ 6,852	$ 7,852
Non-Regulated	6,957	7,303	8,272
Total revenue	13,586	14,155	16,124
Cost of Sales:
Regulated	(6,078)	(5,764)	(6,615)
Non-Regulated	(5,075)	(5,533)	(6,529)
Total cost of sales	(11,153)	(11,297)	(13,144)
Operating margin	2,433	2,858	2,980
General and administrative expenses	(194)	(196)	(187)
Interest expense	(1,431)	(1,344)	(1,451)
Interest income	464	460	320
Loss on extinguishment of debt	(13)	(182)	(261)
Other expense	(103)	(58)	(65)
Other income	65	82	121
Gain on disposal and sale of businesses	29	29	358
Goodwill impairment expense	0	(317)	(164)
Asset impairment expense	(1,096)	(285)	(91)
Foreign currency transaction gains (losses)	(15)	107	11
Other non-operating expense	(2)	0	(128)
INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS BEFORE TAXES AND EQUITY IN EARNINGS OF AFFILIATES	137	1,154	1,443
Income tax benefit (expense)	188	(472)	(371)
Net equity in earnings of affiliates	36	105	19
INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS	361	787	1,091
Income (loss) from operations of discontinued businesses, net of income tax benefit (expense) of $9, $7, and $(71), respectively	(19)	(25)	111
Net loss from disposal and impairments of discontinued businesses, net of income tax benefit (expense) of $266, $0, and $(4), respectively	(1,119)	0	(55)
NET INCOME (LOSS)	(777)	762	1,147
Noncontrolling interests:
Less: Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests	(364)	(456)	(386)
Less: Net loss attributable to redeemable stocks of subsidiaries	11	0	0
Plus: Loss from discontinued operations attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	8
Total net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(353)	(456)	(378)
NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE AES CORPORATION	(1,130)	306	769
AMOUNTS ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE AES CORPORATION COMMON STOCKHOLDERS:
Income from continuing operations, net of tax	8	331	705
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	(1,138)	(25)	64
NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE AES CORPORATION	$ (1,130)	$ 306	$ 769
BASIC EARNINGS PER SHARE:
Income from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders, net of tax	$ 0.00	$ 0.48	$ 0.98
Income (loss) from discontinued operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders, net of tax	(1.72)	(0.03)	0.09
NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE AES CORPORATION COMMON STOCKHOLDERS	(1.72)	0.45	1.07
DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE:
Income from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders, net of tax	0.00	0.48	0.97
Income (loss) from discontinued operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders, net of tax	(1.71)	(0.04)	0.09
NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE AES CORPORATION COMMON STOCKHOLDERS	(1.71)	0.44	1.06
DIVIDENDS DECLARED PER COMMON SHARE (in dollars per share)	$ 0.45	$ 0.41	$ 0.25