Earnings Per Share (Details) (USD $) In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011
BASIC EARNINGS PER SHARE
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders (Income)	$ 69	$ 191	$ 414	$ 428
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders (Shares)	764,000,000	782,000,000	765,000,000	785,000,000
Income from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders, net of tax	$ 0.09	$ 0.24	$ 0.54	$ 0.54
EFFECT OF DILUTIVE SECURITIES
Director stock units (Shares)			0	0
Director stock units (Per Share)			$ 0	$ 0
Stock options (Shares)	1,000,000	2,000,000	1,000,000	2,000,000
Restricted stock units (Shares)	3,000,000	3,000,000	3,000,000	3,000,000
Restricted stock units (Per Share)	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ (0.01)
DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE (INCOME)	$ 69	$ 191	$ 414	$ 428
DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE (SHARES)	768,000,000	787,000,000	769,000,000	790,000,000
Diluted Earnings Per Share	$ 0.09	$ 0.24	$ 0.54	$ 0.53
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Shares of common stock issued upon exercise of stock options	743,524		1,044,017
Shares of common stock issued under the Company's profit sharing plan			1,013,872
Stock Options [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Additional options outstanding that could potentially dilute EPS in the future			6,685,692	15,930,917
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Additional options outstanding that could potentially dilute EPS in the future			2,444,811