Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Millions, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017
BASIC EARNINGS PER SHARE
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders (Income)	$ 96	$ 53	$ 781	$ 29
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders (Shares)	661	660	661	660
Income from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders, net of tax	$ 0.15	$ 0.08	$ 1.18	$ 0.04
EFFECT OF DILUTIVE SECURITIES
Dilutive Securities, Effect on Basic Earnings Per Share, Options and Restrictive Stock Units	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Restricted stock units (Shares)	3	2	3	2
Dilutive Securities Effect On Basic EPS, dilutive Restricted Stock Units, per diluted share	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00
DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE:
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations, Per Diluted Share	$ 0.15	$ 0.08	$ 1.18	$ 0.04
Income Loss From Continuing Operations Diluted	$ 96	$ 53	$ 781	$ 29
Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Diluted	664	662	664	662
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	4	7	4	7

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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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