Income from continuing operations attributable to the parent plus adjustments resulting from the assumption that dilutive convertible securities were converted, options or warrants were exercised, or that other shares were issued upon the satisfaction of certain conditions.

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- Definition

In computing the dilutive effect of convertible debt, the earnings per share is adjusted to add back the after-tax amount of interest recognized in the period associated with any convertible debt.

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- Definition

Number of shares of common stock sold to Investor under Stock Purchase Agreement.

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- Definition

Securities (including those issuable pursuant to contingent stock agreements) that could potentially dilute basic earnings per share (EPS) in the future that were not included in the computation of diluted EPS because to do so would increase EPS amounts or decrease loss per share amounts for the period presented.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 128
-Paragraph 13, 14

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 128
-Paragraph 171

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 128
-Paragraph 40
-Subparagraph c

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This element represents the income or loss from continuing operations attributable to the reporting entity which may also be defined as revenue less expenses and taxes from ongoing operations before extraordinary items and cumulative effects of changes in accounting principles, but after deduction of those portions of income or loss from continuing operations that are allocable to noncontrolling interests, if any.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher AICPA
-Name Accounting Research Bulletin (ARB)
-Number 51
-Paragraph 29

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher AICPA
-Name Accounting Research Bulletin (ARB)
-Number 51
-Paragraph 28

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher AICPA
-Name Accounting Research Bulletin (ARB)
-Number 51
-Paragraph 38
-Subparagraph b(1)

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- Definition

The amount of income (loss) from continuing operations per each share of common stock outstanding during the reporting period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 04
-Paragraph 21
-Article 9

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 128
-Paragraph 36, 37, 38

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 03
-Paragraph 20
-Article 5

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 04
-Paragraph 18
-Article 7

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- Definition

The amount of income (loss) from continuing operations available to each share of common stock outstanding during the reporting period and each share that would have been outstanding assuming the issuance of common shares for all dilutive potential common shares outstanding during the reporting period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 04
-Paragraph 21
-Article 9

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 128
-Paragraph 11, 12, 36, 37, 38

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 128
-Paragraph 40
-Subparagraph a

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 03
-Paragraph 20
-Article 5

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 04
-Paragraph 18
-Article 7

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- Definition

Contracts and securities that allow the holder to buy common stock from the entity. A call option that gives the holder the right, but not the obligation, to purchase shares of common stock from the entity in accordance with an agreement upon payment of a specified amount. A warrant is a security that gives the holder the right to purchase common stock in accordance with the terms of the instrument, usually upon payment of a specified amount. The dilutive effect of which is reflected in diluted EPS by application of the treasury stock method unless another method is required to be applied.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 128
-Paragraph 40
-Subparagraph a

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 128
-Paragraph 17, 18, 19, 171

+ Details

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- Definition

Debt securities outstanding shall be assumed to have been converted at the beginning of the period (or at time of issuance, if later), and the resulting common shares shall be included in common shares used to calculate diluted earnings per shares. The dilutive effect of convertible debt securities shall be reflected in diluted Earnings Per Share by application of the if-converted method.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 128
-Paragraph 26, 27, 28

+ Details

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- Definition

Aggregate awards of share options and nonvested shares to be issued to an employee under a share-based compensation arrangement are considered options for purposes of computing diluted earnings per share. Such share-based awards shall be considered to be outstanding as of the grant date for purposes of computing diluted earnings per share even though their exercise may be contingent upon vesting. Those share-based awards are included in the diluted Earnings Per Share (EPS) computation even if the employee may not receive (or be able to sell) the stock until some future date. Accordingly, all shares to be issued shall be included in computing diluted EPS if the effect is dilutive. The dilutive effect of share-based compensation arrangements shall be computed using the treasury stock method. If the equity share options or other equity instruments are outstanding for only part of a period, the shares issuable shall be weighted to reflect the portion of the period during which the equity instruments were outstanding.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 128
-Paragraph 20

+ Details

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- Definition

In computing the dilutive effect of convertible debt, the earnings per share numerator is adjusted to add back the after-tax amount of interest recognized in the period associated with any convertible debt.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 128
-Paragraph 11

+ Details

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- Details

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- Definition

The average number of shares issued and outstanding that are used in calculating diluted EPS, determined based on the timing of issuance of shares in the period.

+ References

+ Details

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- Definition

Number of [basic] shares, after adjustment for contingently issuable shares and other shares not deemed outstanding, determined by relating the portion of time within a reporting period that common shares have been outstanding to the total time in that period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 128
-Paragraph 171

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 128
-Paragraph 40
-Subparagraph a

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 128
-Paragraph 8

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Earnings Per Share (Details) (USD $) In Millions, except Share data	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2010	Sep. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2010	Mar. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009	Sep. 30, 2009	Jun. 30, 2009	Mar. 31, 2009	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009	Dec. 31, 2008	Mar. 15, 2010
BASIC EARNINGS PER SHARE
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders (Income)									$ 495	$ 729	$ 1,088
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders (Shares)									769,000,000	667,000,000	669,000,000
Income from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders, net of tax	$ 0.16	$ 0.06	$ 0.19	$ 0.24	$ 0.07	$ 0.27	$ 0.44	$ 0.31	$ 0.64	$ 1.09	$ 1.62
EFFECT OF DILUTIVE SECURITIES
Convertible securities (Income)									0	0	22
Convertible securities (Shares)									0	0	15,000,000
Convertible securities (Per Share)									$ 0	$ 0	$ (0.01)
Stock options (Shares)									2,000,000	1,000,000	4,000,000
Restricted stock units (Shares)									3,000,000	2,000,000	1,000,000
DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE (INCOME)									$ 495	$ 729	$ 1,110
DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE (SHARES)									774,000,000	670,000,000	689,000,000
Diluted Earnings Per Share	$ 0.16	$ 0.06	$ 0.19	$ 0.24	$ 0.07	$ 0.27	$ 0.44	$ 0.31	$ 0.64	$ 1.09	$ 1.61
Shares Of Common Stock Sold Under Stock Purchase Agreement												125,468,788
Additional options outstanding that could potentially dilute EPS in the future									16,618,137	18,035,813	11,150,853