Segments and Geographic Information Segments and Geographic Information (Policies)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Segment Reporting, Policy [Policy Text Block]	The segment reporting structure uses the Company's organizational structure as its foundation to reflect how the Company manages the businesses internally and is organized by geographic regions which provides a socio-political-economic understanding of our business. During the third quarter of 2017, the Europe and Asia SBUs were merged in order to leverage scale and are now reported as part of the Eurasia SBU. The management reporting structure is organized by five SBUs led by our President and Chief Executive Officer: US, Andes, Brazil, MCAC and Eurasia SBUs. The Company determined that it has five operating and five reportable segments corresponding to its SBUs. All prior period results have been retrospectively revised to reflect the new segment reporting structure. In February 2018, we announced a reorganization as a part of our ongoing strategy to simplify our portfolio, optimize our cost structure, and reduce our carbon intensity. The Company is currently evaluating the impact this reorganization will have on our segment reporting structure. Corporate and Other — Corporate overhead costs which are not directly associated with the operations of our five reportable segments are included in "Corporate and Other." Also included are certain intercompany charges such as self-insurance premiums which are fully eliminated in consolidation. The Company uses Adjusted PTC as its primary segment performance measure. Adjusted PTC, a non-GAAP measure, is defined by the Company as pre-tax income from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation excluding gains or losses of the consolidated entity due to (a) unrealized gains or losses related to derivative transactions; (b) unrealized foreign currency gains or losses; (c) gains, losses and associated benefits and costs due to dispositions and acquisitions of business interests, including early plant closures; (d) losses due to impairments; (e) gains, losses and costs due to the early retirement of debt; and (f) costs directly associated with a major restructuring program, including, but not limited to, workforce reduction efforts, relocations, and office consolidation. Adjusted PTC also includes net equity in earnings of affiliates on an after-tax basis adjusted for the same gains or losses excluded from consolidated entities. The Company has concluded Adjusted PTC better reflects the underlying business performance of the Company and is the most relevant measure considered in the Company's internal evaluation of the financial performance of its segments. Additionally, given its large number of businesses and complexity, the Company concluded that Adjusted PTC is a more transparent measure that better assists investors in determining which businesses have the greatest impact on the Company's results. Revenue and Adjusted PTC are presented before inter-segment eliminations, which includes the effect of intercompany transactions with other segments except for interest, charges for certain management fees, and the write-off of intercompany balances, as applicable. All intra-segment activity has been eliminated within the segment. Inter-segment activity has been eliminated within the total consolidated results.

The segment reporting structure uses the Company's organizational structure as its foundation to reflect how the Company manages the businesses internally and is organized by geographic regions which provides a socio-political-economic understanding of our business. During the third quarter of 2017, the Europe and Asia SBUs were merged in order to leverage scale and are now reported as part of the Eurasia SBU. The management reporting structure is organized by five SBUs led by our President and Chief Executive Officer: US, Andes, Brazil, MCAC and Eurasia SBUs. The Company determined that it has five operating and five reportable segments corresponding to its SBUs. All prior period results have been retrospectively revised to reflect the new segment reporting structure. In February 2018, we announced a reorganization as a part of our ongoing strategy to simplify our portfolio, optimize our cost structure, and reduce our carbon intensity. The Company is currently evaluating the impact this reorganization will have on our segment reporting structure.

Corporate and Other — Corporate overhead costs which are not directly associated with the operations of our five reportable segments are included in "Corporate and Other." Also included are certain intercompany charges such as self-insurance premiums which are fully eliminated in consolidation.

The Company uses Adjusted PTC as its primary segment performance measure. Adjusted PTC, a non-GAAP measure, is defined by the Company as pre-tax income from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation excluding gains or losses of the consolidated entity due to (a) unrealized gains or losses related to derivative transactions; (b) unrealized foreign currency gains or losses; (c) gains, losses and associated benefits and costs due to dispositions and acquisitions of business interests, including early plant closures; (d) losses due to impairments; (e) gains, losses and costs due to the early retirement of debt; and (f) costs directly associated with a major restructuring program, including, but not limited to, workforce reduction efforts, relocations, and office consolidation. Adjusted PTC also includes net equity in earnings of affiliates on an after-tax basis adjusted for the same gains or losses excluded from consolidated entities. The Company has concluded Adjusted PTC better reflects the underlying business performance of the Company and is the most relevant measure considered in the Company's internal evaluation of the financial performance of its segments. Additionally, given its large number of businesses and complexity, the Company concluded that Adjusted PTC is a more transparent measure that better assists investors in determining which businesses have the greatest impact on the Company's results.

Revenue and Adjusted PTC are presented before inter-segment eliminations, which includes the effect of intercompany transactions with other segments except for interest, charges for certain management fees, and the write-off of intercompany balances, as applicable. All intra-segment activity has been eliminated within the segment. Inter-segment activity has been eliminated within the total consolidated results.