Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Statement of Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
NET INCOME	$ 203	$ 508	$ 721	$ 849
Available-for-sale securities activity:
Change in fair value of available-for-sale securities, net of $0 income tax for all periods	0	(1)	0	(1)
Reclassification to earnings, net of $0 income tax for all periods	0	0	0	0
Total change in fair value of available-for-sale securities	0	(1)	0	(1)
Foreign currency translation activity:
Foreign currency translation adjustments, net of income tax benefit (expense) of $1, $1, $1 and $(7), respectively	(513)	(329)	(857)	(300)
Reclassification to earnings, net of $0 income tax for all periods	0	(4)	0	(51)
Total foreign currency translation adjustments	(513)	(333)	(857)	(351)
Derivative activity:
Change in derivative fair value, net of income tax benefit of $22, $6, $22 and $52, respectively	(70)	(36)	(73)	(261)
Reclassification to earnings, net of income tax benefit (expense) of $0, $(10), $(6) and $(23), respectively	14	44	46	76
Total change in fair value of derivatives	(56)	8	(27)	(185)
Pension activity:
Change in pension adjustments due to prior service cost, net of income tax benefit (expense) of $0, $0, $0, and $(1), respectively	0	0	0	1
Change in pension adjustments due to disposal of discontinued operations for the period, net of income tax benefit (expense) of $0, $0, $0 and $(9), respectively	0	0	0	14
Reclassification to earnings due to amortization of net actuarial loss, net of income tax expense of $(3), $(3), $(8) and $(4), respectively	4	5	13	21
Total pension adjustments	4	5	13	36
OTHER COMPREHENSIVE LOSS	(565)	(321)	(871)	(501)
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)	(362)	187	(150)	348
Less: Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	229	108	56	(119)
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE AES CORPORATION	$ (133)	$ 295	$ (94)	$ 229