Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Millions, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2023	Sep. 30, 2022	Sep. 30, 2023	Sep. 30, 2022	Dec. 31, 2022	Mar. 31, 2022
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Preferred Stock , Convertible, Initial Conversion Rate						$ 31.5428
Preferred Stock, Convertible, Conversion Price	$ 31.60		$ 31.60			$ 31.70
Corporate Unit, Notional Value		$ 1,043		$ 1,043		$ 1,043
Preferred Stock, Value, Issued	$ 838	$ 838	$ 838	$ 838	$ 838
Preferred Stock, Convertible, Current Conversion Rate	$ 31.6465		$ 31.6465
Income from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders, net of tax	$ 0.34	$ 0.63	$ 0.51	$ 0.53
BASIC EARNINGS PER SHARE
Income from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders (Income)	$ 231	$ 421	$ 343	$ 357
Income from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders (Shares)	670	668	669	668
Income from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders (Per Share)	$ 0.34	$ 0.63	$ 0.51	$ 0.53
DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE:
Income from continuing operations, diluted	$ 231	$ 421	$ 344	$ 358
Weighted average number of shares outstanding, diluted	712	711	712	711
Income from continuing operations, per diluted share	$ 0.32	$ 0.59	$ 0.48	$ 0.50
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Option
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Dilutive Securities, Effect on Basic Earnings Per Share, Options and Restrictive Stock Units	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Dilutive Securities Effect On Basic EPS, dilutive Stock Options, per diluted share	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Incremental Common Shares Attributable to Dilutive Effect of Share-based Payment Arrangements	0	1	1	1
EFFECT OF DILUTIVE SECURITIES
Dilutive Securities, Effect on Basic Earnings Per Share, Options and Restrictive Stock Units	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Dilutive Securities Effect On Basic EPS, dilutive Stock Options, per diluted share	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Restricted stock units (Shares)	0	1	1	1
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Dilutive Securities, Effect on Basic Earnings Per Share, Options and Restrictive Stock Units	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Incremental Common Shares Attributable to Dilutive Effect of Share-based Payment Arrangements	2	2	2	2
Dilutive Securities Effect On Basic EPS, dilutive Restricted Stock Units, per diluted share	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
EFFECT OF DILUTIVE SECURITIES
Dilutive Securities, Effect on Basic Earnings Per Share, Options and Restrictive Stock Units	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Restricted stock units (Shares)	2	2	2	2
Dilutive Securities Effect On Basic EPS, dilutive Restricted Stock Units, per diluted share	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Equity Unit Purchase Agreements
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Incremental Common Shares Attributable to Dilutive Effect of Equity Unit Purchase Agreements	40	40	40	40
Dilutive Securities Effect on Basic EPS, dilutive Equity Unit Purchase Agreements, per diluted share	$ (0.02)	$ (0.04)	$ (0.03)	$ (0.03)
Dilutive Securities, Effect on Basic Earnings Per Share, Dilutive Convertible Securities	$ 0	$ 0	$ 1	$ 1
EFFECT OF DILUTIVE SECURITIES
Dilutive Securities Effect on Basic EPS, dilutive Equity Unit Purchase Agreements, per diluted share	$ (0.02)	$ (0.04)	$ (0.03)	$ (0.03)
Incremental Common Shares Attributable to Dilutive Effect of Equity Unit Purchase Agreements	40	40	40	40
Dilutive Securities, Effect on Basic Earnings Per Share, Dilutive Convertible Securities	$ 0	$ 0	$ 1	$ 1
Share-based Payment Arrangement [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, Amount			2