Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Millions	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017
OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income	$ 1,384	$ 509
Adjustments to net income:
Depreciation and amortization	770	884
Loss (gain) on disposal and sale of businesses	(856)	49
Impairment expenses	172	260
Deferred income taxes	221	(3)
Provisions for contingencies	1	30
Loss on extinguishment of debt	187	44
Net loss on sales of assets	23	34
Gain on sale of discontinued operations	(243)	0
Other	206	73
Changes in operating assets and liabilities
(Increase) decrease in accounts receivable	(125)	(279)
(Increase) decrease in inventory	(13)	(66)
(Increase) decrease in prepaid expenses and other current assets	15	140
(Increase) decrease in other assets	(22)	(266)
Increase (decrease) in accounts payable and other current liabilities	(29)	162
Increase (decrease) in income taxes payable, net and other taxes payable	(61)	(4)
Increase (decrease) in other liabilities	51	134
Net cash provided by operating activities	1,681	1,701
INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Capital expenditures	(1,592)	(1,587)
Acquisitions of businesses, net of cash and restricted cash acquired, and equity method investments	(66)	(590)
Proceeds from the sale of businesses, net of cash and restricted cash sold, and equity method investments	1,796	39
Proceeds from the sale of assets	15	0
Sale of short-term investments	1,010	2,942
Purchase of short-term investments	(1,215)	(2,673)
Contributions to equity affiliates	(101)	(49)
Other investing	(37)	(37)
Net cash used in investing activities	(190)	(1,955)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Borrowings under the revolving credit facilities	1,434	1,489
Repayments under the revolving credit facilities	(1,595)	(851)
Issuance Of Recourse Debt	1,000	1,025
Repayments of recourse debt	(1,781)	(1,353)
Issuance of non-recourse debt	1,509	2,703
Repayments of non-recourse debt	(1,139)	(1,731)
Payments for financing fees	(32)	(96)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(199)	(263)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests and redeemable security holders	40	59
Dividends paid on AES common stock	(258)	(238)
Payments for financed capital expenditures	(186)	(100)
Proceeds from Sale of Ownership Interests	0	60
Other financing	44	(26)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(1,163)	678
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	(50)	21
(Increase) decrease in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash of discontinued operations and held-for-sale businesses	56	(107)
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents, Period Increase (Decrease), Excluding Exchange Rate Effect	334	338
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning	1,788	1,960
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, ending	2,122	2,298
SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURES:
Cash payments for interest, net of amounts capitalized	683	797
Cash payments for income taxes, net of refunds	313	291
SCHEDULE OF NON-CASH INVESTING AND FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Non-cash acquisition of intangible assets	14	0
Noncash or Part Noncash Acquisition, Debt Assumed	119	0
Conversion of Alto Maipo loans and accounts payable into equity (see Note 10—Equity)	0	279
Fluence [Member] | Non-cash [Member]
SCHEDULE OF NON-CASH INVESTING AND FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Non-cash contributions of assets and liabilities for Fluence acquisition	$ 20	$ 0