Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Millions, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018
Total Revenue	$ 2,483	$ 2,537	$ 5,133	$ 5,277
Cost of Goods and Services Sold	(1,981)	(1,937)	(4,045)	(4,021)
Operating margin	502	600	1,088	1,256
General and administrative expenses	(49)	(35)	(95)	(91)
Interest expense	273	263	538	544
Interest income	82	76	161	152
Loss on extinguishment of debt	(51)	(6)	(61)	(176)
Other expense	(14)	(4)	(26)	(13)
Other income	18	7	48	20
Gain (loss) on disposal and sale of business interests	(3)	89	(7)	877
Asset impairment expense	(116)	(92)	(116)	(92)
Foreign currency transaction gains (losses)	22	(30)	18	(49)
INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS BEFORE TAXES AND EQUITY IN EARNINGS OF AFFILIATES	118	342	472	1,340
Income tax expense	57	132	172	363
Net equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates	5	14	(1)	25
INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS	66	224	299	1,002
Loss from operations of discontinued businesses, net of income tax expense of $0, $2, $0, and $2, respectively	0	(4)	0	(5)
Gain from disposal of discontinued businesses, net of income tax expense of $0, $42, $0, and $42, respectively	1	196	1	196
NET INCOME	67	416	300	1,193
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations, Net of Tax, Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	(50)	(128)	(129)	(221)
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE AES CORPORATION	17	290	171	974
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax, Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	0	2	0	2
AMOUNTS ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE AES CORPORATION COMMON STOCKHOLDERS:
Income from continuing operations, net of tax	16	96	170	781
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax	1	194	1	193
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE AES CORPORATION	$ 17	$ 290	$ 171	$ 974
BASIC EARNINGS PER SHARE:
Income from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders, net of tax	$ 0.02	$ 0.15	$ 0.26	$ 1.18
Income from discontinued operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders, net of tax	0	0.29	0	0.29
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE AES CORPORATION COMMON STOCKHOLDERS	0.02	0.44	0.26	1.47
DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE:
Income from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders, net of tax	0.02	0.15	0.26	1.18
Income from discontinued operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders, net of tax	$ 0	$ 0.29	$ 0	$ 0.29
DILUTED SHARES OUTSTANDING	667	664	667	664
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE AES CORPORATION COMMON STOCKHOLDERS	$ 0.02	$ 0.44	$ 0.26	$ 1.47
Electric Transmission [Member]
Total Revenue	$ 724	$ 716	$ 1,509	$ 1,438
Cost of Goods and Services Sold	(605)	(617)	(1,240)	(1,218)
Electricity, Generation [Member]
Total Revenue	1,759	1,821	3,624	3,839
Cost of Goods and Services Sold	$ (1,376)	$ (1,320)	$ (2,805)	$ (2,803)