Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Revenues	$ 9,660	$ 10,189	$ 10,736
Cost of Goods and Services Sold	6,967	7,840	8,163
Operating margin	2,693	2,349	2,573
General and administrative expenses	(165)	(196)	(192)
Interest expense	(1,038)	(1,050)	(1,056)
Interest income	268	318	310
Gain (Loss) on Extinguishment of Debt	(186)	(169)	(188)
Other expense	53	80	58
Other income	75	145	72
Gain (loss) on disposal and sale of business interests	(95)	28	984
Asset impairment expense	(864)	(185)	(208)
Foreign currency transaction gains (losses)	55	(67)	(72)
Other non-operating expense	(202)	(92)	(147)
INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS BEFORE TAXES AND EQUITY IN EARNINGS OF AFFILIATES	488	1,001	2,018
Income tax expense	(216)	(352)	(708)
Net equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates	(123)	(172)	39
INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS	149	477	1,349
Loss from operations of discontinued businesses, net of income tax expense of $0, $0, and $2, respectively	0	0	(9)
Gain from disposal of discontinued businesses, net of income tax expense of $0, $0, and $44, respectively	3	1	225
NET INCOME (LOSS)	152	478	1,565
Less: Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations, Net of Tax, Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	106	175	364
Less: Loss from discontinued operations attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	2
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE AES CORPORATION	46	303	1,203
AMOUNTS ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE AES CORPORATION COMMON STOCKHOLDERS:
Income from continuing operations, net of tax	43	302	985
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax	3	1	218
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE AES CORPORATION	$ 46	$ 303	$ 1,203
BASIC EARNINGS PER SHARE:
Income from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders, net of tax	$ 0.06	$ 0.46	$ 1.49
Income from discontinued operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders, net of tax	0.01	0	0.33
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE AES CORPORATION COMMON STOCKHOLDERS	0.07	0.46	1.82
DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE:
Income from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders, net of tax	0.06	0.45	1.48
Income from discontinued operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders, net of tax	0.01	0	0.33
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE AES CORPORATION COMMON STOCKHOLDERS	$ 0.07	$ 0.45	$ 1.81
Electricity, Generation [Member]
Revenues	$ 6,999	$ 7,161	$ 7,797
Cost of Goods and Services Sold	4,732	5,356	5,690
Electric Distribution [Member]
Revenues	2,661	3,028	2,939
Cost of Goods and Services Sold	$ 2,235	$ 2,484	$ 2,473