Label	Element	Value
Fair Value, Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis with Unobservable Inputs	us-gaap_FairValueNetDerivativeAssetLiabilityMeasuredOnRecurringBasisWithUnobservableInputs	$ (274,000,000)
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis with Unobservable Inputs	us-gaap_FairValueNetDerivativeAssetLiabilityMeasuredOnRecurringBasisWithUnobservableInputs	(59,000,000)
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis with Unobservable Inputs	us-gaap_FairValueNetDerivativeAssetLiabilityMeasuredOnRecurringBasisWithUnobservableInputs	(80,000,000)
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis with Unobservable Inputs	us-gaap_FairValueNetDerivativeAssetLiabilityMeasuredOnRecurringBasisWithUnobservableInputs	(267,000,000)
Fair Value, Measurement with Unobservable Inputs Reconciliation, Liability, Transfers out of Level 3	us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationLiabilityTransfersOutOfLevel3	0
Fair Value, Measurement with Unobservable Inputs Reconciliation, Liability, Transfers out of Level 3	us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationLiabilityTransfersOutOfLevel3	0
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Inputs Reconciliation, Settlements	us-gaap_FairValueNetDerivativeAssetLiabilityMeasuredOnRecurringBasisUnobservableInputsReconciliationSettlements	16,000,000
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Inputs Reconciliation, Settlements	us-gaap_FairValueNetDerivativeAssetLiabilityMeasuredOnRecurringBasisUnobservableInputsReconciliationSettlements	5,000,000
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Inputs Reconciliation, Purchases	us-gaap_FairValueNetDerivativeAssetLiabilityMeasuredOnRecurringBasisUnobservableInputsReconciliationPurchases	3,000,000
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Inputs Reconciliation, Period Increase (Decrease)	us-gaap_FairValueNetDerivativeAssetLiabilityMeasuredOnRecurringBasisUnobservableInputsReconciliationPeriodIncreaseDecrease	4,000,000
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Inputs Reconciliation, Period Increase (Decrease)	us-gaap_FairValueNetDerivativeAssetLiabilityMeasuredOnRecurringBasisUnobservableInputsReconciliationPeriodIncreaseDecrease	(1,000,000)
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Inputs Reconciliation, Gain (Loss) Included in Earnings	us-gaap_FairValueNetDerivativeAssetLiabilityMeasuredOnRecurringBasisUnobservableInputsReconciliationGainLossIncludedInEarnings	4,000,000
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Inputs Reconciliation, Gain (Loss) Included in Earnings	us-gaap_FairValueNetDerivativeAssetLiabilityMeasuredOnRecurringBasisUnobservableInputsReconciliationGainLossIncludedInEarnings	(1,000,000)
Fair Value, Measurement with Unobservable Inputs Reconciliation, Liability, Transfers Into Level 3	us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationLiabilityTransfersIntoLevel3	0
Fair Value Measurements with Unobservable Inputs Reconciliation Recurring Basis Regulatory Assets Liabilities	aes_FairValueMeasurementsWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisRegulatoryAssetsLiabilities	0
Fair Value, Recurring [Member] \| Other Comprehensive Income- Foreign currency translation activity [Member]
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Inputs Reconciliation, Gain (Loss) Included in Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	us-gaap_FairValueNetDerivativeAssetLiabilityMeasuredOnRecurringBasisUnobservableInputsReconciliationGainLossIncludedInOtherComprehensiveIncomeLoss	1,000,000
Fair Value, Recurring [Member] \| Other comprehensive income - Derivative activity [Member]
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Inputs Reconciliation, Gain (Loss) Included in Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	us-gaap_FairValueNetDerivativeAssetLiabilityMeasuredOnRecurringBasisUnobservableInputsReconciliationGainLossIncludedInOtherComprehensiveIncomeLoss	0
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Inputs Reconciliation, Gain (Loss) Included in Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	us-gaap_FairValueNetDerivativeAssetLiabilityMeasuredOnRecurringBasisUnobservableInputsReconciliationGainLossIncludedInOtherComprehensiveIncomeLoss	$ 0

Fair Value Measurements with Unobservable Inputs Reconciliation Recurring Basis Regulatory Assets Liabilities

No definition available.

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- Definition

Amount of transfers of financial instrument classified as a liability into level 3 of the fair value hierarchy.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(3)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482106/820-10-50-2

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- Definition

Amount of transfers of financial instrument classified as a liability out of level 3 of the fair value hierarchy.

+ References

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- Definition

Amount of gain (loss) recognized in income from derivative asset (liability) after deduction of derivative liability (asset), measured at fair value on recurring basis using unobservable input (level 3).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(1)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482106/820-10-50-2

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (b)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482106/820-10-50-3

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- Definition

Amount of gain (loss) recognized in other comprehensive income from derivative asset (liability) after deduction of derivative liability (asset), measured at fair value on recurring basis using unobservable input (level 3).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(1a)
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-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482106/820-10-50-2

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-Topic 820
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482106/820-10-50-3

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- Definition

Amount of increase (decrease) of financial instrument classified as a derivative asset (liability) after deduction of derivative liability (asset), measured using unobservable inputs that reflect the entity's own assumption about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)
-SubTopic 10
-Topic 820
-Publisher FASB
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-Subparagraph (b)
-SubTopic 10
-Topic 820
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482106/820-10-50-3

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- Definition

Amount of purchases of financial instrument classified as a derivative asset (liability) after deduction of derivative liability (asset), measured using unobservable inputs that reflect the entity's own assumption about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
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-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
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- Definition

Amount of settlements of financial instrument classified as a derivative asset (liability) after deduction of derivative liability, measured using unobservable inputs that reflect the entity's own assumption about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing.

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Fair value of financial instrument classified as derivative asset (liability) after deduction of derivative liability (asset), measured using unobservable inputs that reflect the entity's own assumption about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing.

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