Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Millions, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017
Total Revenue	$ 2,537	$ 2,613	$ 5,277	$ 5,194
Cost of Goods and Services Sold	1,937	1,990	4,021	4,014
Operating margin	600	623	1,256	1,180
General and administrative expenses	(35)	(49)	(91)	(103)
Interest expense	(263)	(276)	(544)	(563)
Interest income	76	59	152	122
Gain (loss) on extinguishment of debt	(6)	(12)	(176)	5
Other expense	(4)	(7)	(13)	(31)
Other income	7	14	20	87
Loss (gain) on disposal and sale of businesses	89	(48)	877	(48)
Asset impairment expense	(92)	(90)	(92)	(258)
Foreign currency transaction gains (losses)	(30)	12	(49)	(8)
INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS BEFORE TAXES AND EQUITY IN EARNINGS OF AFFILIATES	342	226	1,340	383
Income tax expense	(132)	(86)	(363)	(153)
Net equity in earnings of affiliates	14	2	25	9
INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS	224	142	1,002	239
Income (loss) from operations of discontinued businesses, net of income tax expense of $2, $5, $2 and $7, respectively	(4)	8	(5)	9
Gain from disposal of discontinued businesses, net of income tax expense of $42, $0, $42 and $0, respectively	196	0	196	0
NET INCOME	416	150	1,193	248
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests and redeemable stock of subsidiaries	(128)	(89)	(221)	(210)
NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE AES CORPORATION	290	53	974	29
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax, Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	2	(8)	2	(9)
AMOUNTS ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE AES CORPORATION COMMON STOCKHOLDERS:
Income from continuing operations, net of tax	96	53	781	29
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax	194	0	193	0
NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE AES CORPORATION	$ 290	$ 53	$ 974	$ 29
BASIC EARNINGS PER SHARE:
Income from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders, net of tax	$ 0.15	$ 0.08	$ 1.18	$ 0.04
Income from discontinued operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders, net of tax	0.29	0.00	0.29	0.00
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE AES CORPORATION COMMON STOCKHOLDERS	0.44	0.08	1.47	0.04
DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE:
Income from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders, net of tax	0.15	0.08	1.18	0.04
Income from discontinued operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders, net of tax	$ 0.29	$ 0.00	$ 0.29	$ 0.00
DILUTED SHARES OUTSTANDING	664	662	664	662
DIVIDENDS DECLARED PER COMMON SHARE	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.13	$ 0.12
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE AES CORPORATION COMMON STOCKHOLDERS	$ 0.44	$ 0.08	$ 1.47	$ 0.04
Electric Transmission [Member]
Total Revenue	$ 716	$ 783	$ 1,438	$ 1,596
Cost of Goods and Services Sold	617	681	1,218	1,384
Electricity, Generation [Member]
Total Revenue	1,821	1,830	3,839	3,598
Cost of Goods and Services Sold	$ 1,320	$ 1,309	$ 2,803	$ 2,630