Equity (Transactions with Noncontrolling Interests) (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2021	Sep. 30, 2021	Jun. 30, 2021	Sep. 30, 2021	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Sep. 13, 2021	Nov. 30, 2020	Jan. 01, 2020
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Gain (Loss) on Disposition of Business					$ (1,683,000,000)	$ (95,000,000)	$ 28,000,000
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent	$ 2,798,000,000				2,798,000,000	2,634,000,000
Additional Paid in Capital	7,119,000,000				7,119,000,000	7,561,000,000
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax	(2,220,000,000)				(2,220,000,000)	(2,397,000,000)	(2,229,000,000)
Redeemable noncontrolling interest, percentage acquired by parent								49.90%
Contributions from noncontrolling interests					365,000,000	1,000,000	17,000,000
Retained Earnings (Accumulated Deficit)	$ (1,089,000,000)				$ (1,089,000,000)	(680,000,000)	(692,000,000)			$ (731,000,000)
AES Tiete [Domain]
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Noncontrolling Interest, Ownership Percentage by Parent	44.10%				44.10%
Chile Renovables SpA
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Noncontrolling Interest, Ownership Percentage by Parent		51.00%		51.00%
AES Brasil
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Noncontrolling Interest, Ownership Percentage by Parent	46.70%	45.70%		45.70%	46.70%
Distributed Energy [Member]
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Sales to noncontrolling interests					$ 127,000,000	$ 144,000,000	133,000,000
AES Southland [Domain]
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Sale of Stock, Percentage of Ownership after Transaction					65.00%
Additional Paid in Capital	$ 266,000,000				$ 266,000,000
Sale of Stock, Consideration Received on Transaction					424,000,000
Stockholders' Equity, Period Increase (Decrease)					$ 275,000,000
Sale of Stock, Description of Transaction					35
Reclassification from AOCI, Current Period, Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent					$ 9,000,000
AES Tiete [Domain]
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Payments to Acquire Additional Interest in Subsidiaries	16,000,000			$ 240,000,000
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Changes, Purchase of Interest by Parent	$ 0.013			$ 0.185
AES Tiete
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Adjustments to Additional Paid in Capital, Other					94,000,000
Stockholders' Equity, Period Increase (Decrease)					214,000,000
Reclassification from AOCI, Current Period, Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent					$ 120,000,000
AES Gener
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Sale of Stock, Percentage of Ownership after Transaction				38.00%
Preferred Units, Cumulative Cash Distributions									$ 12,000,000
Preferred Stock, Participation Rights				12 million
Sale of Stock, Consideration Received on Transaction				$ 113,000,000
Sale of Stock, Description of Transaction				5
Investments		$ 113,000,000		$ 113,000,000
Chile Renovables SpA
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Sale of Stock, Consideration Received on Transaction		$ 53,000,000
Sale of Stock, Description of Transaction		49
Indirect ownership percentage in subsidiary by parent		34.00%		34.00%
Guaimbe Solar Complex [Member]
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Sale of Stock, Percentage of Ownership before Transaction			45.30%
Sale of Stock, Percentage of Ownership after Transaction			36.30%
Sale of Stock, Consideration Received on Transaction			$ 158,000,000
Sale of Stock, Description of Transaction			19.9
AES Andes
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Sale of Stock, Percentage of Ownership before Transaction					67.10%	67.00%
Sale of Stock, Percentage of Ownership after Transaction					67.00%	67.10%
Stockholders' Equity, Period Increase (Decrease)					$ 3,000,000
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues						1,980,000,000
Common Stock, Shares Subscribed but Unissued						1,350,000,000
Investment Owned, at Cost						$ 205,000,000
Other Noncontrolling Interests						629,000,000
Contributions from noncontrolling interests						$ 94,000,000
Colon [Domain]
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Adjustments to Additional Paid in Capital, Other		$ 8,000,000
Stockholders' Equity, Period Increase (Decrease)		12,000,000
Reclassification from AOCI, Current Period, Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent		$ 4,000,000
Redeemable noncontrolling interest, percentage acquired by parent								49.90%
AES Brasil
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage						100.00%
Adjustments to Additional Paid in Capital, Other				$ 6,000,000
Sale of Stock, Percentage of Ownership before Transaction	37.40%
Stockholders' Equity, Period Increase (Decrease)	$ 7,000,000			13,000,000
Payments to Acquire Additional Interest in Subsidiaries				17,000,000
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Changes, Purchase of Interest by Parent				0.016
Reclassification from AOCI, Current Period, Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent				$ 7,000,000
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues	93,000,000
Alto Maipo
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Stockholders' Equity, Period Increase (Decrease)	$ 182,000,000
Reclassification from AOCI, Current Period, Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent	177,000,000
Retained Earnings (Accumulated Deficit)	$ 5,000,000				5,000,000
Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Gain (Loss) on Disposition of Business					0
Sales to noncontrolling interests					(7,000,000)	$ 260,000,000	(5,000,000)
Noncontrolling Interest, Decrease from Redemptions or Purchase of Interests					$ 9,000,000	$ 89,000,000	$ 0