Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Millions, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Total Revenue	$ 2,650	$ 2,740
Cost of Goods and Services Sold	(2,064)	(2,084)
Operating margin	586	656
General and administrative expenses	(46)	(56)
Interest expense	(265)	(281)
Interest income	79	76
Loss on extinguishment of debt	(10)	(170)
Other expense	(12)	(9)
Other income	30	13
Gain (loss) on disposal and sale of business interests	(4)	788
Foreign currency transaction losses	(4)	(19)
INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS BEFORE TAXES AND EQUITY IN EARNINGS OF AFFILIATES	354	998
Income tax expense	(115)	(231)
Net equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates	(6)	11
INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS	233	778
Loss from operations of discontinued businesses	0	(1)
NET INCOME	233	777
Less: Income from continuing operations attributable to noncontrolling interests and redeemable stock of subsidiaries	79	93
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE AES CORPORATION	154	684
AMOUNTS ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE AES CORPORATION COMMON STOCKHOLDERS:
Income from continuing operations, net of tax	154	685
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	(1)
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE AES CORPORATION	$ 154	$ 684
BASIC EARNINGS PER SHARE:
Income from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders, net of tax	$ 0.23	$ 1.04
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE AES CORPORATION COMMON STOCKHOLDERS	0.23	1.04
DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE:
Income from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders, net of tax	$ 0.23	$ 1.03
DILUTED SHARES OUTSTANDING	667	663
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE AES CORPORATION COMMON STOCKHOLDERS	$ 0.23	$ 1.03
Electric Transmission [Member]
Total Revenue	$ 785	$ 722
Cost of Goods and Services Sold	(635)	(601)
Electricity, Generation [Member]
Total Revenue	1,865	2,018
Cost of Goods and Services Sold	$ (1,429)	$ (1,483)