Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2022	Mar. 31, 2021
OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income (loss)	$ 171	$ (29)
Adjustments to net income (loss):
Depreciation and amortization	270	275
Gain (loss) on disposal and sale of business interests	(1)	5
Impairment expense	1	473
Deferred income taxes	(7)	21
Loss on extinguishment of debt	6	1
Loss (gain) on sale and disposal of assets	4	(20)
Loss of affiliates, net of dividends	33	36
Emissions Allowance Expense	118	58
Other	50	19
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
(Increase) decrease in accounts receivable	(77)	(79)
(Increase) decrease in inventory	(44)	14
(Increase) decrease in prepaid expenses and other current assets	59	22
(Increase) decrease in other assets	(10)	31
Increase (decrease) in accounts payable and other current liabilities	(124)	(337)
Increase (decrease) in income tax payables, net and other tax payables	7	(92)
Increase (decrease) in deferred income	10	(142)
Increase (decrease) in other liabilities	(9)	(3)
Net cash provided by operating activities	457	253
INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Capital expenditures	(766)	(432)
Sale of short-term investments	197	257
Purchase of short-term investments	(345)	(130)
Contributions and loans to equity affiliates	(93)	(64)
Payments to Acquire Intangible Assets	(136)	(31)
Other investing	(10)	13
Net cash used in investing activities	(1,153)	(387)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Borrowings under the revolving credit facilities	1,193	792
Repayments under the revolving credit facilities	(715)	(793)
Issuance of recourse debt	0	7
Repayments of recourse debt	(29)	(7)
Issuance of non-recourse debt	1,710	307
Repayments of non-recourse debt	(788)	(320)
Payments for financing fees	(27)	(5)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(47)	(17)
Acquisitions of noncontrolling interests	(535)	(13)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests	8	94
Sales to Noncontrolling Interests	48	1
Issuance of Preferred Shares in Subsidiaries	60	0
Issuance of preferred stock	0	1,017
Dividends paid on AES common stock	(105)	(100)
Payments for financed capital expenditures	(4)	(1)
Other financing	49	31
Net cash provided by financing activities	818	993
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	20	(22)
Net Cash Change Of Discontinued And Held For Sale Businesses	(64)	(58)
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents, Period Increase (Decrease), Including Exchange Rate Effect	78	779
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning	1,484	1,827
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, ending	1,562	2,606
SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURES:
Cash payments for interest, net of amounts capitalized	185	167
Cash payments for income taxes, net of refunds	46	50
SCHEDULE OF NONCASH INVESTING AND FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Non-cash consideration transferred for Clean Energy acquisitions (see Note 17)	0
Dividends declared but not yet paid	$ 105	101
AES Clean Energy Subsidiary | Non-cash [Member]
SCHEDULE OF NONCASH INVESTING AND FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Non-cash consideration transferred for Clean Energy acquisitions (see Note 17)		$ 119