Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Millions, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2021	Mar. 31, 2020
Total Revenue	$ 2,635	$ 2,338
Cost of Goods and Services Sold	(1,971)	(1,831)
Operating margin	664	507
General and administrative expenses	(46)	(38)
Interest expense	(190)	(233)
Interest income	68	70
Loss on extinguishment of debt	(1)	(1)
Other expense	(16)	(4)
Other income	43	45
Loss on disposal and sale of business interests	(5)	0
Asset impairment expense	(473)	(6)
Foreign currency transaction gains (losses)	(35)	(24)
Other non-operating expense	0	(44)
INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS BEFORE TAXES AND EQUITY IN EARNINGS OF AFFILIATES	9	320
Income tax expense	(8)	(89)
Net equity in losses of affiliates	(30)	(2)
NET INCOME (LOSS)	(29)	229
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests and redeemable stock of subsidiaries	(119)	(85)
NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE AES CORPORATION	$ (148)	$ 144
BASIC EARNINGS PER SHARE:
NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE AES CORPORATION COMMON STOCKHOLDERS	$ (0.22)	$ 0.22
DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE:
NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE AES CORPORATION COMMON STOCKHOLDERS	$ (0.22)	$ 0.22
DILUTED SHARES OUTSTANDING	666	668
Electric Transmission [Member]
Total Revenue	$ 707	$ 712
Cost of Goods and Services Sold	(582)	(592)
Electricity, Generation [Member]
Total Revenue	1,928	1,626
Cost of Goods and Services Sold	$ (1,389)	$ (1,239)