Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income	$ 777	$ 98
Adjustments to net income:
Depreciation and amortization	254	291
Gain on disposal and sale of businesses	788	0
Asset impairment expense	0	168
Deferred income taxes	180	(6)
Provisions for contingencies	0	12
Loss (gain) on extinguishment of debt	170	(17)
Loss on sales of assets	2	12
Other	72	48
Changes in operating assets and liabilities
(Increase) decrease in accounts receivable	(39)	50
(Increase) decrease in inventory	(16)	(16)
(Increase) decrease in prepaid expenses and other current assets	(33)	111
(Increase) decrease in other assets	19	(43)
Increase (decrease) in accounts payable and other current liabilities	(66)	(65)
Increase (decrease) in income tax payables, net and other tax payables	0	38
Increase (decrease) in other liabilities	(17)	27
Net cash provided by operating activities	515	708
INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Capital expenditures	(495)	(474)
Proceeds from the sale of businesses, net of cash and restricted cash sold	1,180	4
Sale of short-term investments	149	907
Purchase of short-term investments	(345)	(716)
Payments for Advance to Affiliate	(44)	0
Other investing	(29)	(38)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	416	(317)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Borrowings under the revolving credit facilities	881	225
Repayments under the revolving credit facilities	(783)	(84)
Issuance Of Recourse Debt	1,000	0
Repayments of recourse debt	(1,774)	(341)
Issuance of non-recourse debt	757	569
Repayments of non-recourse debt	(510)	(295)
Payments for financing fees	(14)	(18)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(17)	(33)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests and redeemable security holders	11	29
Dividends paid on AES common stock	(86)	(79)
Payments for financed capital expenditures	(89)	(26)
Other financing	(6)	(26)
Net cash used in financing activities	(630)	(79)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	5	11
(Increase) decrease in cash and restricted cash of discontinued operations and held-for-sale businesses	74	(35)
Total increase in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	380	288
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents, Ending	2,168	2,248
SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURES:
Cash payments for interest, net of amounts capitalized	207	195
Cash payments for income taxes, net of refunds	71	74
SCHEDULE OF NON-CASH INVESTING AND FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Dividends declared but not yet paid	86
Fluence [Member] | Non-cash [Member]
SCHEDULE OF NON-CASH INVESTING AND FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Contribution of Property	$ 20	$ 0