Fair Value (Nonrecurring Measurements) (Details) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2021 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2020 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($)
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Other Asset Impairment Charges	$ 473	$ 6
AES Puerto Rico
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring	73
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | OPGC [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Other Asset Impairment Charges		43
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | AES Puerto Rico
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Other Asset Impairment Charges	475
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Fair Value [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring	73
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Fair Value [Member] | OPGC [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring		195
Cumulative Translation Adjustment, Net of Tax, Period Increase (Decrease)			$ 115
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Fair Value [Member] | OPGC [Member] | Level 1 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring		0
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Fair Value [Member] | OPGC [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring		0
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Fair Value [Member] | OPGC [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring		$ 152
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Fair Value [Member] | AES Puerto Rico
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring	548
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Fair Value [Member] | AES Puerto Rico | Level 1 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring	0
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Fair Value [Member] | AES Puerto Rico | Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring	0
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Fair Value [Member] | AES Puerto Rico | Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring	$ 73
Measurement Input, Long-term Revenue Growth Rate [Member] | Valuation, Income Approach [Member] | Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Maximum [Member] | AES Puerto Rico
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring	8.00%
Measurement Input, Long-term Revenue Growth Rate [Member] | Valuation, Income Approach [Member] | Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Minimum [Member] | AES Puerto Rico
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring	(80.00%)
Measurement Input, Discount Rate [Member] | Valuation, Income Approach [Member] | Weighted Average [Member] | AES Puerto Rico
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring	18.20%
Measurement Input, Variable Margin | Valuation, Income Approach [Member] | Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Maximum [Member] | AES Puerto Rico
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring	97.00%
Measurement Input, Variable Margin | Valuation, Income Approach [Member] | Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Minimum [Member] | AES Puerto Rico
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring	37.00%
Interest Rate Contract [Member] | Measurement Input, Entity Credit Risk [Member] | Weighted Average [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring	3.30%
Interest Rate Contract [Member] | Measurement Input, Entity Credit Risk [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring	3.30%
Interest Rate Contract [Member] | Measurement Input, Entity Credit Risk [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring	0.60%
Cross currency derivatives [Member] | Measurement Input, Entity Credit Risk [Member] | Weighted Average [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring	3.60%
Cross currency derivatives [Member] | Measurement Input, Entity Credit Risk [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring	3.60%
Cross currency derivatives [Member] | Measurement Input, Entity Credit Risk [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring	3.60%
Foreign Exchange | Weighted Average [Member] | Argentina, Pesos
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Derivative, Forward Exchange Rate	286
Foreign Exchange | Maximum [Member] | Argentina, Pesos
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Derivative, Forward Exchange Rate	640
Foreign Exchange | Minimum [Member] | Argentina, Pesos
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Derivative, Forward Exchange Rate	93