Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Millions, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
BASIC EARNINGS PER SHARE
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders (Income)	$ 685	$ (24)
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders (Shares)	661	659
Income from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders, net of tax	$ 1.04	$ (0.04)
EFFECT OF DILUTIVE SECURITIES
Dilutive Securities, Effect on Basic Earnings Per Share, Options and Restrictive Stock Units	$ 0	$ 0
Restricted stock units (Shares)	2	0
Dilutive Securities Effect On Basic EPS, dilutive Restricted Stock Units, per diluted share	$ (0.01)	$ 0.00
DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE:
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations, Per Diluted Share	$ 1.03	$ (0.04)
Income Loss From Continuing Operations Diluted	$ 685	$ (24)
Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Diluted	663	659
Convertible Debt Securities [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, Amount		15
Stock Compensation Plan [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, Amount	6	7
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, Amount		4
Weighted Average [Member] \| Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, Amount		3

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Securities (including those issuable pursuant to contingent stock agreements) that could potentially dilute basic earnings per share (EPS) or earnings per unit (EPU) in the future that were not included in the computation of diluted EPS or EPU because to do so would increase EPS or EPU amounts or decrease loss per share or unit amounts for the period presented.

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Amount after tax of income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to the parent.

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The amount of net income (loss) from continuing operations per each share of common stock or unit outstanding during the reporting period.

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