Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Millions	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2021	Sep. 30, 2020
OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income (loss)	$ 379	$ (249)
Adjustments to net income (loss):
Depreciation and amortization	795	803
Gain (loss) on disposal and sale of business interests	(81)	117
Impairment expense	1,374	1,057
Deferred income taxes	(77)	(342)
Loss on extinguishment of debt	41	95
Gain on sale and disposal of assets	(9)	(37)
Gain on remeasurement to acquisition date fair value	(220)	0
Loss of affiliates, net of dividends	28	116
Other	363	134
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
(Increase) decrease in accounts receivable	(118)	(40)
(Increase) decrease in inventory	(70)	(15)
(Increase) decrease in prepaid expenses and other current assets	(36)	33
(Increase) decrease in other assets	25	(252)
Increase (decrease) in accounts payable and other current liabilities	(257)	(98)
Increase (decrease) in income tax payables, net and other tax payables	(375)	62
Increase (decrease) in deferred income	(360)	606
Increase (decrease) in other liabilities	(23)	97
Net cash provided by operating activities	1,379	2,087
INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Capital expenditures	(1,534)	(1,375)
Acquisitions of business interests, net of cash and restricted cash acquired	(93)	(94)
Proceeds from Divestiture of Businesses and Interests in Affiliates	91	41
Sale of short-term investments	525	439
Purchase of short-term investments	(372)	(546)
Contributions and loans to equity affiliates	(321)	(286)
Proceeds from Collection of Advance to Affiliate	195	110
Other investing	(219)	(145)
Net cash used in investing activities	(1,728)	(1,856)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Borrowings under the revolving credit facilities	1,251	2,099
Repayments under the revolving credit facilities	(1,031)	(1,515)
Issuance of recourse debt	7	1,619
Repayments of recourse debt	(7)	(1,596)
Issuance of non-recourse debt	978	4,229
Repayments of non-recourse debt	(1,342)	(3,451)
Payments for financing fees	(19)	(79)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(173)	(194)
Acquisitions of noncontrolling interests	(17)	(240)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests	95	0
Sales to Noncontrolling Interests	81	41
Issuance of Preferred Shares in Subsidiaries	151	113
Issuance of preferred stock	1,014	0
Dividends paid on AES common stock	(301)	(286)
Payments for financed capital expenditures	(6)	(59)
Other financing	(160)	(24)
Net cash provided by financing activities	521	657
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	(25)	(33)
Net Cash Change Of Discontinued And Held For Sale Businesses	0	(46)
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents, Period Increase (Decrease), Including Exchange Rate Effect	147	809
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning	1,827	1,572
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, ending	1,974	2,381
SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURES:
Cash payments for interest, net of amounts capitalized	576	618
Cash payments for income taxes, net of refunds	407	258
SCHEDULE OF NONCASH INVESTING AND FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Notes payable issued for the acquisition of business interests (see Notes 12 and 19)	258	0
Non-cash consideration transferred for the Clean Energy transaction (see Note 19)	$ 99	$ 0