Fair Value (Nonrecurring Measurements) (Details) - USD ($)		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
		Jun. 30, 2020	Mar. 31, 2020	Jun. 30, 2020	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020		Dec. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2021	Jun. 30, 2021	Mar. 31, 2021	Sep. 30, 2020		Jun. 30, 2019	Apr. 12, 2019
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Other Asset Impairment Charges					$ 1,575,000,000	$ 864,000,000		$ 185,000,000
Other non-operating expense					$ 0	202,000,000		$ 92,000,000
Buffalo Gap [Member] | Maximum | Measurement Input, Long-term Revenue Growth Rate [Member] | Valuation, Income Approach [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring					6.00%
Kilroot and Ballylumford [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring														$ 114,000,000
OPGC Affiliate [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Other than Temporary Impairment						43,000,000
buffalo gap II [Member] [Member] | Maximum | Measurement Input, Long-term Revenue Growth Rate [Member] | Valuation, Income Approach [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring					6.00%
OPGC
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Other than Temporary Impairment		$ 158,000,000	$ 43,000,000	$ 201,000,000
Angamos [Member] | Maximum | Measurement Input, Long-term Revenue Growth Rate [Member] | Valuation, Income Approach [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring					58.00%
buffalo gap III | Maximum | Measurement Input, Long-term Revenue Growth Rate [Member] | Valuation, Income Approach [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring					6.00%
AES PR
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring											$ 73,000,000
AES PR | Maximum | Measurement Input, Long-term Revenue Growth Rate [Member] | Valuation, Income Approach [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring					8.00%
Mountain View Power Partners | Maximum | Measurement Input, Long-term Revenue Growth Rate [Member] | Valuation, Income Approach [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring					54.00%
Ventanas 3 & 4 | Maximum | Measurement Input, Long-term Revenue Growth Rate [Member] | Valuation, Income Approach [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring					23.00%
Alto Maipo | Maximum | Measurement Input, Long-term Revenue Growth Rate [Member] | Valuation, Income Approach [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring					14.00%
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Level 3
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring					$ 2,225,000,000
Equity Method Investments [Member] | OPGC Affiliate [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Other Asset Impairment Charges						158,000,000
Equity Method Investments [Member] | Reported Value Measurement [Member] | OPGC Affiliate [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring	[1]	272,000,000	195,000,000	272,000,000
Equity Method Investments [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | OPGC Affiliate [Member] | Level 1
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring		0		0
Equity Method Investments [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | OPGC Affiliate [Member] | Level 2
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring		104,000,000		104,000,000
Equity Method Investments [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | OPGC Affiliate [Member] | Level 3
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring		$ 0		$ 0
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Buffalo Gap [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Other Asset Impairment Charges					29,000,000
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Kilroot and Ballylumford [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring															$ 232,000,000
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | buffalo gap II [Member] [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Other Asset Impairment Charges					73,000,000
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | AES Panama
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Other Asset Impairment Charges						30,000,000
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | AES Hawaii
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Other Asset Impairment Charges						38,000,000
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Angamos [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Other Asset Impairment Charges					155,000,000	564,000,000	[2]
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | buffalo gap III
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Other Asset Impairment Charges					91,000,000
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Ventanas 1 & 2
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Other Asset Impairment Charges						213,000,000
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | AES PR
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Other Asset Impairment Charges	[2]				475,000,000
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Mountain View Power Partners
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Other Asset Impairment Charges					67,000,000
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Ventanas 3 & 4
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Other Asset Impairment Charges					649,000,000
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Reported Value Measurement [Member] | AES Panama
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring						44,000,000
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Reported Value Measurement [Member] | AES Hawaii
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring						114,000,000
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Reported Value Measurement [Member] | Angamos [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring	[1],[2]					870,000,000
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Reported Value Measurement [Member] | Ventanas 1 & 2
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring						213,000,000
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Buffalo Gap [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring					29,000,000
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Buffalo Gap [Member] | Level 1
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring					0
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Buffalo Gap [Member] | Level 2
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring					0
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Buffalo Gap [Member] | Level 3
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring					0					$ 0
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | buffalo gap II [Member] [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring					73,000,000
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | buffalo gap II [Member] [Member] | Level 1
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring					0
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | buffalo gap II [Member] [Member] | Level 2
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring					0
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | buffalo gap II [Member] [Member] | Level 3
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring					0					0
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | AES Panama | Level 1
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring												$ 0
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | AES Panama | Level 2
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring												0
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | AES Panama | Level 3
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring						14,000,000
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | AES Hawaii | Level 1
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring												0
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | AES Hawaii | Level 2
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring												0
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | AES Hawaii | Level 3
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring						76,000,000
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Angamos [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring										241,000,000
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Angamos [Member] | Level 1
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring										0		0	[2]
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Angamos [Member] | Level 2
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring										0		0	[2]
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Angamos [Member] | Level 3
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring						306,000,000	[2]		$ 86,000,000	86,000,000		306,000,000
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | buffalo gap III
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring					91,000,000
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | buffalo gap III | Level 1
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring					0
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | buffalo gap III | Level 2
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring					0
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | buffalo gap III | Level 3
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring					0					0
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Ventanas 1 & 2 | Level 1
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring												0
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Ventanas 1 & 2 | Level 2
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring												$ 0
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Ventanas 1 & 2 | Level 3
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring						$ 0
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Mountain View Power Partners
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring										78,000,000
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Mountain View Power Partners | Level 1
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring										0
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Mountain View Power Partners | Level 2
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring										0
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Mountain View Power Partners | Level 3
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring										11,000,000
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Ventanas 3 & 4
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring										661,000,000
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Ventanas 3 & 4 | Level 1
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring										0
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Ventanas 3 & 4 | Level 2
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring										0
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Ventanas 3 & 4 | Level 3
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring									12,000,000	12,000,000
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Alto Maipo | Level 3
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring										$ 2,043,000,000
Long Lived Assets Held For Sale [Member] | OPGC Affiliate [Member] | Level 1
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring			0
Long Lived Assets Held For Sale [Member] | OPGC Affiliate [Member] | Level 2
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring			0
Long Lived Assets Held For Sale [Member] | OPGC Affiliate [Member] | Level 3
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring			$ 152,000,000
Long Lived Assets Held For Sale [Member] | AES Panama
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Other Asset Impairment Charges					11,000,000
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring									17,000,000
Long Lived Assets Held For Sale [Member] | Alto Maipo
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Other Asset Impairment Charges					$ 0
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring									2,339,000,000
Long Lived Assets Held For Sale [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | AES Panama | Level 1
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring									0
Long Lived Assets Held For Sale [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | AES Panama | Level 2
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring									6,000,000
Long Lived Assets Held For Sale [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | AES Panama | Level 3
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring									0
Long Lived Assets Held For Sale [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Alto Maipo | Level 1
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring									0
Long Lived Assets Held For Sale [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Alto Maipo | Level 2
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring									0
Long Lived Assets Held For Sale [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Alto Maipo | Level 3
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring									$ 2,043,000,000
Fair Value, Nonrecurring [Member] | Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Reported Value Measurement [Member] | AES PR
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring	[1],[2]										548,000,000
Fair Value, Nonrecurring [Member] | Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | AES PR | Level 1
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring	[2]										0
Fair Value, Nonrecurring [Member] | Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | AES PR | Level 2
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring	[2]										0
Fair Value, Nonrecurring [Member] | Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | AES PR | Level 3
Fair Value Assets Measured On Nonrecurring Basis Unobservable Inputs [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring	[2]										$ 73,000,000

[1] Represents the carrying values at the dates of initial measurement, before fair value adjustment. (2)See Note 24—Held-for-Sale and Dispositions for further information. (3)Fair value measurement performed for purposes of allocating $224 million of goodwill to the carrying amount of Alto Maipo in determining the loss on disposal. The goodwill allocation was determined based on the relative fair value of Alto Maipo, which was included in the AES Andes reporting unit. Note that the Pre- tax Loss column excludes the loss on disposal as this fair value measurement is only one component of such loss. See Note 24—Held-for-Sale and Dispositions for further information.

[2] See Note 22—Asset Impairment Expense for further information.(5)See Note 8—Investments In and Advances to Affiliates for further information.