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Segments (Details) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
Segments (Details) $ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2017 USD ($) segment	Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of strategic business units \| segment	6
Number of reportable segments \| segment	6
Adjusted PTC
Adjusted Pretax Contribution	$ 190	$ 185
Reconciliation To Income From Continuing Operations Before Taxes
Unrealized derivative gains	(1)	(34)
Unrealized foreign currency transaction gains	(9)	(9)
Disposition/acquisition (gains) losses	52	(19)
Impairment losses	168	50
Gains on extinguishment of debt	(16)	1
Pretax contribution	(4)	196
Net equity in earnings of affiliates	7	6
Less: Income (loss) from continuing operations before taxes, attributable to noncontrolling interests	171	(17)
Income from continuing operations before taxes and equity in earnings of affiliates	160	173
Assets
Total Assets	36,508		$ 36,119
Operating Segments [Member]
Revenue
Total Revenue	3,492	3,271
Adjusted PTC
Adjusted Pretax Contribution	190	185
Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Revenue
Total Revenue	(2)	(5)
UNITED STATES
Assets
Total Assets	9,229		9,333
UNITED STATES \| Operating Segments [Member]
Revenue
Total Revenue	808	855
Adjusted PTC
Adjusted Pretax Contribution	48	85
Andes - Generation [Member]
Assets
Total Assets	9,349		8,971
Andes - Generation [Member] \| Operating Segments [Member]
Revenue
Total Revenue	618	622
Adjusted PTC
Adjusted Pretax Contribution	88	61
BRAZIL
Assets
Total Assets	6,405		6,448
BRAZIL \| Operating Segments [Member]
Revenue
Total Revenue	1,039	839
Adjusted PTC
Adjusted Pretax Contribution	39	5
MCAC - Generation [Member]
Assets
Total Assets	5,355		5,162
MCAC - Generation [Member] \| Operating Segments [Member]
Revenue
Total Revenue	586	519
Adjusted PTC
Adjusted Pretax Contribution	59	48
Europe [Member]
Assets
Total Assets	2,506		2,664
Europe [Member] \| Operating Segments [Member]
Revenue
Total Revenue	237	246
Adjusted PTC
Adjusted Pretax Contribution	55	69
Asia [Member]
Assets
Total Assets	3,290		3,113
Asia [Member] \| Operating Segments [Member]
Revenue
Total Revenue	192	194
Adjusted PTC
Adjusted Pretax Contribution	22	22
Corporate Other And Other Eliminations [Member]
Assets
Total Assets	350		428
Corporate Other And Other Eliminations [Member] \| Operating Segments [Member]
Revenue
Total Revenue	14	1
Adjusted PTC
Adjusted Pretax Contribution	(121)	$ (105)
Disposal Group, Held-for-sale, Not Discontinued Operations [Member]
Assets
Total Assets	$ 24		$ 0