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Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2021	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2021	Jun. 30, 2020	Dec. 31, 2020
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Dilutive Securities, Effect on Basic Earnings Per Share, Options and Restrictive Stock Units	$ 0	$ 0
Incremental Common Shares Attributable to Dilutive Effect of Share-based Payment Arrangements	3,000	0
Dilutive Securities Effect On Basic EPS, dilutive Restricted Stock Units, per diluted share	$ 0	$ 0
Preferred Stock , Convertible, Initial Conversion Rate	31.5428		$ 31.5428
Preferred Stock, Convertible, Conversion Price	$ 31.70		$ 31.70
Corporate Unit, Notional Value	$ 1,043		$ 1,043
Preferred Stock, Value, Issued	1,043		1,043		$ 0
BASIC EARNINGS (LOSS) PER SHARE
Income from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders (Income)	$ 24	$ (86)	$ (124)	$ 58
Income from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders (Shares)	666,000	665,000	666,000	665,000
Income from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders (Per Share)	$ 0.03	$ (0.13)	$ (0.19)	$ 0.09
EFFECT OF DILUTIVE SECURITIES
Dilutive Securities, Effect on Basic Earnings Per Share, Options and Restrictive Stock Units	$ 0	$ 0
Restricted stock units (Shares)	3,000	0
Dilutive Securities Effect On Basic EPS, dilutive Restricted Stock Units, per diluted share	$ 0	$ 0
DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE:
Income from continuing operations, diluted	$ 24	$ (86)	$ (124)	$ 58
Weighted average number of shares outstanding, diluted	670,000	665,000	666,000	668,000
Income from continuing operations, per diluted share	$ 0.03	$ (0.13)	$ (0.19)	$ 0.09
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Option
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Dilutive Securities, Effect on Basic Earnings Per Share, Options and Restrictive Stock Units			$ 0	$ 0
Dilutive Securities Effect On Basic EPS, dilutive Stock Options, per diluted share			$ 0	$ 0
Incremental Common Shares Attributable to Dilutive Effect of Share-based Payment Arrangements			0	1,000
EFFECT OF DILUTIVE SECURITIES
Dilutive Securities, Effect on Basic Earnings Per Share, Options and Restrictive Stock Units			$ 0	$ 0
Dilutive Securities Effect On Basic EPS, dilutive Stock Options, per diluted share			$ 0	$ 0
Restricted stock units (Shares)			0	1,000
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Dilutive Securities, Effect on Basic Earnings Per Share, Options and Restrictive Stock Units			$ 0	$ 0
Incremental Common Shares Attributable to Dilutive Effect of Share-based Payment Arrangements			0	2,000
Dilutive Securities Effect On Basic EPS, dilutive Restricted Stock Units, per diluted share			$ 0	$ 0
EFFECT OF DILUTIVE SECURITIES
Dilutive Securities, Effect on Basic Earnings Per Share, Options and Restrictive Stock Units			$ 0	$ 0
Restricted stock units (Shares)			0	2,000
Dilutive Securities Effect On Basic EPS, dilutive Restricted Stock Units, per diluted share			$ 0	$ 0
Share-based Payment Arrangement [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, Amount	1,000	5,000	6,000	2,000
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, Amount		2,000	4,000