Other Income and Expense - Other Expense (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended			6 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2021		Sep. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2021	Sep. 30, 2021		Sep. 30, 2020
Schedule of other expense [Line Items]
Other Nonoperating Expense	$ 0		$ 0		$ 0		$ 202
Other Expenses	12		20		32		27
Business Combination, Step Acquisition, Equity Interest in Acquiree, Remeasurement Gain				$ 36
Gain (Loss) on Disposition of Other Assets					9		37
Other Expense [Member]
Schedule of other expense [Line Items]
Sales-type and Direct Financing Leases, Profit (Loss)	0		0		13	[1]	0
Gain (Loss) on Disposition of Assets	6		4		13		6
Gain (Loss) Related to Litigation Settlement	2		12		2		14
Other Nonoperating Expense	4		4		4		7
Other Expenses	12		20		32		27
Other Income [Member]
Schedule of other expense [Line Items]
Business Combination, Step Acquisition, Equity Interest in Acquiree, Remeasurement Gain	8	[2]	0		220	[2]	0
Asset Acquisition of a VIE, Contingent Consideration, Remeasurement Gain	32	[3]	0		32	[3]	0
Allowance for Funds Used During Construction, Capitalized Interest	2		2		6		4
Gain (Loss) on Disposition of Other Assets	$ 1		$ 0		$ 2		$ 43	[4]

[1] Related to a loss recognized at commencement of a sales-type lease at AES Renewable Holdings. See Note 10—Leases for further information.

[2] For the three months ended September 30, 2021, primarily related to the $6 million remeasurement of our existing equity interest in Gas Natural Atlántico II, S. de. R.L.’s assets to their acquisition-date fair value. See Note 7—Investments in and Advances to Affiliates for further information. For the nine months ended September 30, 2021, primarily related to the $214 million remeasurement of our existing equity interest in sPower’s development platform as part of the step acquisition to form AES Clean Energy Development. See Note 19—Acquisitions for further information.

[3] Related to the remeasurement of contingent consideration on the Great Cove Solar acquisition at Clean Energy. See Note 19—Acquisitions for further information.

[4] Primarily associated with the gain on sale of Redondo Beach land at Southland for the nine months ended September 30, 2020. See Note 18—Held-for-Sale and Dispositions for further information.