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Selected Quarterly Financial Data (Details) (USD $) In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended			0 Months Ended
	Dec. 12, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Aug. 22, 2014
Selected Quarterly Financial Information [Abstract]
Revenue		$ 4,132us-gaap_ElectricUtilityRevenue	$ 4,441us-gaap_ElectricUtilityRevenue	$ 4,311us-gaap_ElectricUtilityRevenue	$ 4,262us-gaap_ElectricUtilityRevenue	$ 3,800us-gaap_ElectricUtilityRevenue	$ 3,996us-gaap_ElectricUtilityRevenue	$ 3,945us-gaap_ElectricUtilityRevenue	$ 4,150us-gaap_ElectricUtilityRevenue	$ 17,146us-gaap_ElectricUtilityRevenue	$ 15,891us-gaap_ElectricUtilityRevenue	$ 17,164us-gaap_ElectricUtilityRevenue
Operating margin		708us-gaap_GrossProfit	767us-gaap_GrossProfit	819us-gaap_GrossProfit	794us-gaap_GrossProfit	670us-gaap_GrossProfit	927us-gaap_GrossProfit	901us-gaap_GrossProfit	749us-gaap_GrossProfit	3,088us-gaap_GrossProfit	3,247us-gaap_GrossProfit	3,583us-gaap_GrossProfit
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net of tax		298	508	281	89	(173)	339	333	231	1,176	730	(420)
Discontinued operations, net of tax		0	0	(6)	(23)	(31)	(116)	0	(32)
NET INCOME (LOSS)		298us-gaap_ProfitLoss	508us-gaap_ProfitLoss	275us-gaap_ProfitLoss	66us-gaap_ProfitLoss	(204)us-gaap_ProfitLoss	223us-gaap_ProfitLoss	333us-gaap_ProfitLoss	199us-gaap_ProfitLoss	1,147us-gaap_ProfitLoss	551us-gaap_ProfitLoss	(357)us-gaap_ProfitLoss
Net income (loss) attributable to The AES Corporation		206us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	488us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	133us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	(58)us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	(206)us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	71us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	167us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	82us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	769us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	114us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	(912)us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss
Basic income (loss) per share:
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation, net of tax		$ 0.29	$ 0.68	$ 0.20	$ (0.07)	$ (0.23)	$ 0.23	$ 0.22	$ 0.15	$ 1.10	$ 0.38	$ (1.27)
Discontinued operations attributable to The AES Corporation, net of tax		$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ (0.02)	$ (0.01)	$ (0.05)	$ (0.14)	$ 0.00	$ (0.04)	$ (0.03)	$ (0.23)	$ 0.06
NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE AES CORPORATION COMMON STOCKHOLDERS		$ 0.29us-gaap_EarningsPerShareBasic	$ 0.68us-gaap_EarningsPerShareBasic	$ 0.18us-gaap_EarningsPerShareBasic	$ (0.08)us-gaap_EarningsPerShareBasic	$ (0.28)us-gaap_EarningsPerShareBasic	$ 0.09us-gaap_EarningsPerShareBasic	$ 0.22us-gaap_EarningsPerShareBasic	$ 0.11us-gaap_EarningsPerShareBasic	$ 1.07us-gaap_EarningsPerShareBasic	$ 0.15us-gaap_EarningsPerShareBasic	$ (1.21)us-gaap_EarningsPerShareBasic
Diluted income (loss) per share:
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation, net of tax		$ 0.29	$ 0.67	$ 0.20	$ (0.07)	$ (0.23)	$ 0.23	$ 0.22	$ 0.15	$ 1.09	$ 0.38	$ (1.27)
Discontinued operations attributable to The AES Corporation, net of tax		$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ (0.02)	$ (0.01)	$ (0.05)	$ (0.14)	$ 0.00	$ (0.04)	$ (0.03)	$ (0.23)	$ 0.06
NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE AES CORPORATION COMMON STOCKHOLDERS		$ 0.29us-gaap_EarningsPerShareDiluted	$ 0.67us-gaap_EarningsPerShareDiluted	$ 0.18us-gaap_EarningsPerShareDiluted	$ (0.08)us-gaap_EarningsPerShareDiluted	$ (0.28)us-gaap_EarningsPerShareDiluted	$ 0.09us-gaap_EarningsPerShareDiluted	$ 0.22us-gaap_EarningsPerShareDiluted	$ 0.11us-gaap_EarningsPerShareDiluted	$ 1.06us-gaap_EarningsPerShareDiluted	$ 0.15us-gaap_EarningsPerShareDiluted	$ (1.21)us-gaap_EarningsPerShareDiluted
Dividends declared per common share	$ 0.10	$ 0.15	$ 0.05	$ 0.05	$ 0	$ 0.09	$ 0	$ 0.08	$ 0	$ 0.25	$ 0.17	$ 0.08
Impairment expense pre-tax total		79aes_ImpairmentExpensePreTaxTotal	31aes_ImpairmentExpensePreTaxTotal	107aes_ImpairmentExpensePreTaxTotal	166aes_ImpairmentExpensePreTaxTotal	352aes_ImpairmentExpensePreTaxTotal	196aes_ImpairmentExpensePreTaxTotal	0aes_ImpairmentExpensePreTaxTotal	48aes_ImpairmentExpensePreTaxTotal
Net equity in earnings of affiliates										(19)	(25)	(35)
Masinloc Subsidiary
Diluted income (loss) per share:
Disposal Group, Not Discontinued Operation, Gain (Loss) on Disposal				283
UK Wind Projects
Diluted income (loss) per share:
Disposal Group, Not Discontinued Operation, Gain (Loss) on Disposal													78
ARGENTINA
Diluted income (loss) per share:
Interest Income, Other		59
Embedded Derivative, Gain on Embedded Derivative		106
Elsta
Diluted income (loss) per share:
Net equity in earnings of affiliates		$ 41								$ (41)