Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Millions	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016
OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income (loss)	$ 509	$ (84)
Adjustments to net income (loss):
Depreciation and amortization	884	877
Loss (gain) on sales and disposals of businesses	49	(30)
Impairment expenses	260	475
Deferred income taxes	(3)	(475)
Provisions for contingencies	30	28
Loss on extinguishment of debt	44	12
Loss on sales of assets	34	26
Impairments of discontinued operations	0	783
Other	61	106
Changes in operating assets and liabilities
(Increase) decrease in accounts receivable	(279)	335
(Increase) decrease in inventory	(66)	36
(Increase) decrease in prepaid expenses and other current assets	140	670
(Increase) decrease in other assets	(266)	(237)
Increase (decrease) in accounts payable and other current liabilities	162	(567)
Increase (decrease) in income tax payables, net and other tax payables	(4)	(270)
Increase (decrease) in other liabilities	134	497
Net cash provided by operating activities	1,689	2,182
INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Capital expenditures	(1,587)	(1,770)
Acquisitions of businesses, net of cash acquired, and equity method investees	(606)	(61)
Proceeds from the sale of businesses, net of cash sold, and equity method investments	39	157
Sale of short-term investments	2,942	3,747
Purchase of short-term investments	(2,673)	(3,797)
Increase in restricted cash, debt service reserves. and other assets	(311)	(123)
Other investing	(86)	(22)
Net cash used in investing activities	(2,282)	(1,869)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Borrowings under the revolving credit facilities	1,489	1,079
Repayments under the revolving credit facilities	(851)	(856)
Issuance Of Recourse Debt	1,025	500
Repayments of recourse debt	(1,353)	(808)
Issuance of non-recourse debt	2,703	2,118
Repayments of non-recourse debt	(1,731)	(1,720)
Payments for financing fees	(96)	(86)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(263)	(356)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests and redeemable security holders	59	154
Proceeds from the sale of redeemable stock of subsidiaries	0	134
Dividends paid on AES common stock	(238)	(218)
Payments for financed capital expenditures	(100)	(108)
Purchase of treasury stock	0	(79)
Proceeds from Sale of Ownership Interests	60	0
Other financing	(26)	(12)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	678	(258)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	9	7
(Increase) decrease in cash of discontinued operations and held-for-sale businesses	(1)	6
Total increase in cash and cash equivalents	93	68
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning	1,305	1,257
Cash and cash equivalents, ending	1,398
SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURES:
Cash payments for interest, net of amounts capitalized	797	837
Cash payments for income taxes, net of refunds	291	425
SCHEDULE OF NON-CASH INVESTING AND FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Assets acquired through capital lease and other liabilities	0	5
Reclassification of Alto Maipo loans and accounts payable into equity (see Note 11—Equity)	$ 279	$ 0