Earnings Per Share (Details) (USD $) In Millions, except Share data	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010
BASIC EARNINGS PER SHARE
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders (Income)	$ 191	$ 152	$ 427	$ 322
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders (Shares)	782,000,000	795,000,000	785,000,000	746,000,000
Income from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders, net of tax	$ 0.24	$ 0.19	$ 0.55	$ 0.43
EFFECT OF DILUTIVE SECURITIES
Stock options (Shares)	2,000,000	2,000,000	2,000,000	2,000,000
Restricted stock units (Shares)	3,000,000	3,000,000	3,000,000	3,000,000
DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE (INCOME)	$ 191	$ 152	$ 427	$ 322
DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE (SHARES)	787,000,000	800,000,000	790,000,000	751,000,000
Diluted Earnings Per Share	$ 0.24	$ 0.19	$ 0.54	$ 0.43
Additional options outstanding that could potentially dilute EPS in the future			15,930,917	17,080,471
Shares of common stock issued upon exercise of stock options	255,551		474,351
Shares of common stock issued under the Company's profit sharing plan			1,073,539

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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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

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

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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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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.

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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
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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.

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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.

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Number of shares issued during the period as a result of any share-based compensation plan other than an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP).

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-Publisher SEC
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Number of shares issued during the period as a result of the exercise of stock options.

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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.

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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.

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