Equity (Details) (USD $) In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		36 Months Ended		6 Months Ended				1 Months Ended	37 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013 The AES Corporation Stockholders' Equity	Jun. 30, 2012 The AES Corporation Stockholders' Equity	Jun. 30, 2013 Noncontrolling Interests	Jun. 30, 2012 Noncontrolling Interests	Aug. 07, 2013 Subsequent Event [Member]	Aug. 07, 2013 Subsequent Event [Member]
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance			$ 7,514	$ 9,729			$ 4,569	$ 5,946	$ 2,945	$ 3,783
Net income	333	207	532	722					283	241
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent	167	140	249	481			249	481
Total foreign currency translation adjustment, net of income tax	(182)	(385)	(217)	(244)			(148)	(134)	(69)	(110)
Total change in derivative fair value, net of income tax	163	(93)	171	14			123	23	48	(9)
Total pension adjustments, net of income tax	13	7	27	13			6	4	21	9
Capital contributions from noncontrolling interests			55	12			0	0	55	12
Distributions to noncontrolling interests			(226)	(507)			0	0	(226)	(507)
Disposition of businesses			(21)	(37)			(1)	0	(20)	(37)
Acquisition of treasury stock			(18)	(231)			(18)	(231)	0	0
Issuance and exercise of stock-based compensation benefit plans, net of income tax			24	34			24	34	0	0
Dividends declared on common stock ($0.08 per share)			(60)	0			(60)	0	0	0
Sale of subsidiary shares to noncontrolling interests			33	0			11	0	22	0
Acquisition of subsidiary shares from noncontrolling interests			(7)	(4)			(6)	0	(1)	(4)
Ending Balance	7,807	9,501	7,807	9,501	7,807		4,749	6,123	3,058	3,378
Stock Repurchase Plan [Abstract]
Acquisition of treasury stock (shares)	1,558,900				60,274,089						3,738,142	64,012,231
Treasury Stock Value Acquired Cost Method Excluding Commissions	18				698						45	743
Treasury Stock Acquired Average Cost Per Share					$ 11.58							$ 11.60
Stock Repurchase Program, Remaining Authorized Repurchase Amount			282
Treasury stock, shares (in shares)	67,103,992		67,103,992		67,103,992	66,415,984
Unrealized Derivative Losses [Roll Forward]
Unrealized derivative losses, beginning balance			(481)
Other comprehensive income before reclassifications			51
Amount reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss			72
Net current-period other comprehensive income			123
Unrealized Derivative Losses, ending balance	(358)		(358)		(358)
Unfunded PensionObligation [Roll Forward]
Unfunded pension obligation, beginning balance			(382)
Amount reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss			6
Net current-period other comprehensive income			6
Unfunded pension obligation, ending balance	(376)		(376)		(376)
Available For Sale Securities [Roll Forward] [Roll Forward]
Available for sale securities, beginning balance			0
Other comprehensive income before reclassification	(1)	0	(1)	0
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income	1	0	1	0
Net current-period other comprehensive income			0
Available for sale securities, ending balance	0		0		0
Foreign Currency Translation Adjustment [Roll Forward]
Foreign currency translation adjustment, beginning balance			(2,057)
Other comprehensive income before reclassification			(184)
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income			36
Net current-period other comprehensive income			(148)
Foreign currency translation adjustment, ending balance	(2,205)		(2,205)		(2,205)
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income Loss Net Of Tax [Roll Forward]
Accumulated other comprehensive loss, beginning balance			(2,920)
Other comprehensive income before reclassifications			(134)
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss			115
Net current-period other comprehensive income			(19)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss, ending balance	$ (2,939)		$ (2,939)		$ (2,939)
Dividend
Per-share Payments of Ordinary Dividends, Common Stock			$ 0.08