Name:	aes_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationNonvestedAwardsTotalCompensationCostNotYetRecognizedRelatedToCurrentCurrentYearGrants
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

The unrecognized cost of equity-based awards made to employees during the current period under equity-based compensation expected to vest each of the following three years.

No definition available.

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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Period Type:	instant

Period of straight-line expense, 2014 PSUs

No definition available.

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Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
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Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Decrease in Grant Date Fair Value if Market Conditions Not Applied

No definition available.

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Award Payout Range

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	aes_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Grants in Period, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value Percent of Stock Price

No definition available.

Name:	aes_SharebasedCompensationArrangementbySharebasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherthanOptionsGrantsinPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValuePercentofStockPrice
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Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Percent with Market Condition

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	aes_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Percent with Performance Condition

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	aes_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Vesting Rule, Measurement Period

No definition available.

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Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
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Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Period Before Award Can be Converted to Shares

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	aes_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
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Estimated rate of forfieture applied stock option expense for the Non-Officer population of stock option awards

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	aes_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

The authorized price of stock options that may be granted by the Company, as a percent of the grant date market price.

No definition available.

Name:	aes_StockOptionGrantPriceAsPercentOfMarketPrice
Namespace Prefix:	aes_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Unrecognized cost of unvested share-based compensation awards.

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 718

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (i)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

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Weighted average period over which unrecognized compensation is expected to be recognized for equity-based compensation plans, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Period which an employee's right to exercise an award is no longer contingent on satisfaction of either a service condition, market condition or a performance condition, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 718

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (a)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

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Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
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Percentage of vesting of share-based compensation awards.

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 718

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (a)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

The weighted average fair value at grant date for nonvested equity-based awards issued during the period on other than stock (or unit) option plans (for example, phantom stock or unit plan, stock or unit appreciation rights plan, performance target plan).

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 718

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (c)(2)(iii)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Period from grant date that an equity-based award expires, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 718

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (a)(2)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

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Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
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Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

The difference between the maximum number of shares (or other type of equity) authorized for issuance under the plan (including the effects of amendments and adjustments), and the sum of: 1) the number of shares (or other type of equity) already issued upon exercise of options or other equity-based awards under the plan; and 2) shares (or other type of equity) reserved for issuance on granting of outstanding awards, net of cancellations and forfeitures, if applicable.

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 718

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAvailableForGrant
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=aes_PerformanceStockUnitsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=aes_PerformanceStockUnitsWithMarketConditionsMember
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Data Type:	na
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Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=aes_PerformanceStockUnitswithPerformanceConditionMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: