Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Revenue:
Regulated	$ 3,109	$ 3,310	$ 3,240
Non-Regulated	7,421	6,971	8,020
Total revenue	10,530	10,281	11,260
Cost of Sales:
Regulated	(2,656)	(2,844)	(3,074)
Non-Regulated	(5,410)	(5,057)	(5,523)
Total cost of sales	(8,066)	(7,901)	(8,597)
Operating margin	2,464	2,380	2,663
General and administrative expenses	(215)	(194)	(196)
Interest expense	(1,170)	(1,134)	(1,145)
Interest income	244	245	256
Loss on extinguishment of debt	(68)	(13)	(182)
Other expense	(57)	(79)	(24)
Other income	120	64	84
Gain (loss) on disposal and sale of businesses	(52)	29	29
Goodwill impairment expense	0	0	(317)
Asset impairment expense	(537)	(1,096)	(285)
Foreign currency transaction gains (losses)	42	(15)	106
Other non-operating expense		0
INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS BEFORE TAXES AND EQUITY IN EARNINGS OF AFFILIATES	771	187	989
Income tax expense	(990)	(32)	(412)
Net equity in earnings of affiliates	71	36	105
INCOME (LOSS) FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS	(148)	191	682
Income (loss) from operations of discontinued businesses, net of income tax benefit (expense) of $(21), $229, and $(53), respectively	(18)	151	80
Net loss from disposal and impairments of discontinued businesses, net of income tax benefit of $0, $266, and $0, respectively	(611)	(1,119)	0
NET INCOME (LOSS)	(777)	(777)	762
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations, Net of Tax, Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	359	211	364
Noncontrolling interests:
Less: Income from discontinued operations attributable to noncontrolling interests	(25)	(142)	(92)
Total net income attributable to noncontrolling interests and redeemable stock of subsidiaries	(398)	(364)
NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE AES CORPORATION	(1,161)	(1,130)	306
AMOUNTS ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE AES CORPORATION COMMON STOCKHOLDERS:
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net of tax	(507)	(20)	318
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	(654)	(1,110)	(12)
NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE AES CORPORATION	$ (1,161)	$ (1,130)	$ 306
BASIC EARNINGS PER SHARE:
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders, net of tax	$ (0.77)	$ (0.04)	$ 0.46
Loss from discontinued operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders, net of tax	(0.99)	(1.68)	(0.01)
NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE AES CORPORATION COMMON STOCKHOLDERS	(1.76)	(1.72)	0.45
DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE:
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders, net of tax	(0.77)	(0.04)	0.46
Loss from discontinued operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders, net of tax	(0.99)	(1.68)	(0.02)
NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE AES CORPORATION COMMON STOCKHOLDERS	(1.76)	(1.72)	0.44
DIVIDENDS DECLARED PER COMMON SHARE (in dollars per share)	$ 0.49	$ 0.45	$ 0.41