Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Millions, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017
BASIC EARNINGS PER SHARE
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders (Income)	$ 102	$ 147	$ 883	$ 176
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders (Shares)	662	660	661	660
Income from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders, net of tax	$ 0.15	$ 0.22	$ 1.33	$ 0.27
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	3	3	2
Dilutive Securities Effect On Basic EPS, dilutive Restricted Stock Units, per diluted share	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE:
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations, Per Diluted Share	$ 0.15	$ 0.22	$ 1.33	$ 0.27
Income Loss From Continuing Operations Diluted	$ 102	$ 147	$ 883	$ 176
Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Diluted	665	663	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	2	6	2	6

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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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