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Period of straight-line expense, 2014 RSU's

No definition available.

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Estimated rate of forfieture applied stock option expense for the Non-Officer population of stock option awards

No definition available.

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Data Type:	num:percentItemType
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Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Award Payout Range

No definition available.

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Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Vesting Rule, Measurement Period

No definition available.

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The authorized price of stock options that may be granted by the Company, as a percent of the grant date market price.

No definition available.

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Data Type:	num:percentItemType
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Represents the expense recognized during the period arising from equity-based compensation arrangements (for example, shares of stock, unit, stock options or other equity instruments) with employees, directors and certain consultants qualifying for treatment as employees.

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Unrecognized cost of unvested share-based compensation awards.

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Weighted average period over which unrecognized compensation is expected to be recognized for equity-based compensation plans, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

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The weighted average fair value at grant date for nonvested equity-based awards issued during the period on other than stock (or unit) option plans (for example, phantom stock or unit plan, stock or unit appreciation rights plan, performance target plan).

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Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
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The weighted average fair value of nonvested awards on equity-based plans excluding option plans (for example, phantom stock or unit plan, stock or unit appreciation rights plan, revenue or profit achievement stock award plan) for which the employer is contingently obligated to issue equity instruments or transfer assets to an employee who has not yet satisfied service or performance criteria necessary to gain title to proceeds from the sale of the award or underlying shares or units.

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Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

No definition available.

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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
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Period from grant date that an equity-based award expires, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

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Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=aes_PerformanceCashUnitsMember
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Data Type:	na
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Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MinimumMember
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