Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Revenues	$ 10,189	$ 10,736	$ 10,530
Cost of Goods and Services Sold	7,840	8,163	8,065
Operating margin	2,349	2,573	2,465
General and administrative expenses	(196)	(192)	(215)
Interest expense	(1,050)	(1,056)	(1,170)
Interest income	318	310	244
Loss on extinguishment of debt	(169)	(188)	(68)
Other expense	80	58	58
Other income	145	72	120
Gain (loss) on disposal and sale of business interests	28	984	(52)
Asset impairment expense	(185)	(208)	(537)
Foreign currency transaction gains (losses)	(67)	(72)	42
Other non-operating expense	(92)	(147)	0
INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS BEFORE TAXES AND EQUITY IN EARNINGS OF AFFILIATES	1,001	2,018	771
Income tax expense	(352)	(708)	(990)
Net equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates	(172)	39	71
INCOME (LOSS) FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS	477	1,349	(148)
Loss from operations of discontinued businesses, net of income tax expense of $0, $2, and $21, respectively	0	(9)	(18)
Gain (loss) from disposal of discontinued businesses, net of income tax expense of $0, $44, and $0, respectively	1	225	(611)
NET INCOME (LOSS)	478	1,565	(777)
Less: Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations, Net of Tax, Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	175	364	359
Less: Loss (income) from discontinued operations attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	2	(25)
NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE AES CORPORATION	303	1,203	(1,161)
AMOUNTS ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE AES CORPORATION COMMON STOCKHOLDERS:
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net of tax	302	985	(507)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	1	218	(654)
NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE AES CORPORATION	$ 303	$ 1,203	$ (1,161)
BASIC EARNINGS PER SHARE:
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders, net of tax	$ 0.46	$ 1.49	$ (0.77)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders, net of tax	0	0.33	(0.99)
NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE AES CORPORATION COMMON STOCKHOLDERS	0.46	1.82	(1.76)
DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE:
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders, net of tax	0.45	1.48	(0.77)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders, net of tax	0	0.33	(0.99)
NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE AES CORPORATION COMMON STOCKHOLDERS	$ 0.45	$ 1.81	$ (1.76)
Electricity, Generation [Member]
Revenues	$ 7,161	$ 7,797	$ 7,421
Cost of Goods and Services Sold	5,356	5,690	5,415
Electric Distribution [Member]
Revenues	3,028	2,939	3,109
Cost of Goods and Services Sold	$ 2,484	$ 2,473	$ 2,650