The percentage of ownership of common stock or equity participation in the investee accounted for under the equity method of accounting.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 323
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66011266&loc=d3e33918-111571

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Total investments in (A) an entity in which the entity has significant influence, but does not have control, (B) subsidiaries that are not required to be consolidated and are accounted for using the equity and or cost method, and (C) an entity in which the reporting entity shares control of the entity with another party or group. Includes long-term advances receivable from a party that is affiliated with the reporting entity by means of direct or indirect ownership.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.12)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentsInAffiliatesSubsidiariesAssociatesAndJointVentures
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

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.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentsInAndAdvancesToAffiliatesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The parent entity's interest in net assets of the subsidiary, expressed as a percentage.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_MinorityInterestOwnershipPercentageByParent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	invest_InvestmentAxis=aes_GenerSubsidiaryMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	invest_InvestmentAxis=aes_SilverRidgePowerMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	invest_InvestmentAxis=aes_BarryAffiliateMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	invest_InvestmentAxis=aes_ElstaMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	invest_InvestmentAxis=aes_DistributedEnergyMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	invest_InvestmentAxis=aes_GuacoldaAffiliateMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	invest_InvestmentAxis=aes_OpgcAffiliateMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	invest_InvestmentAxis=us-gaap_OtherAffiliatesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis=aes_GenerSubsidiaryMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: