
<PAGE>   1
                                                                      Exhibit 24
                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


                  The undersigned, acting in the capacity or capacities stated
opposite their respective names below, hereby severally constitute and appoint
DENNIS W. BAKKE, BARRY J. SHARP and WILLIAM R. LURASCHI and each of them
severally, the attorneys-in-fact of the undersigned with full power to them and
each of them to approve and sign for and in the name of the undersigned in the
capacities indicated below the Registration Statement on Form S-4 (the
"Registration Statement") relating to shares of Common Stock, par value $.01 per
share (the "Common Stock"), of The AES Corporation, a Delaware corporation
("AES"), issuable to the holders of shares of Class A Common Stock, par value
$.01 per share, of AES China Generating Co. Ltd., a Bermuda company ("Chigen"),
in connection with the merger of a special purpose subsidiary of AES with and
into Chigen, any and all exhibits, amendments and supplements thereto, including
any and all new or revised prospectuses relating thereto or supplements thereto
and including any additional registration statements relating to the same
offering of the Common Stock as the Registration Statement that are filed
pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any other
documents necessary, appropriate or desirable in connection therewith, and to
file the same and to do and perform each and every act and thing necessary,
appropriate or desirable in connection therewith.

                  This Power of Attorney may be executed in counterparts, which
together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
             Signature                                Position with                         Date
             ---------                                -------------                         ----
                                                          AES
                                                          ---
<S>                                                   <C>                            <C>
/s/ Roger W. Sant                                     Chairman of the                 November 11, 1996
---------------------------                           Board and Director
    Roger W. Sant                                     

/s/ Dennis W. Bakke                                   President, Chief                November 11, 1996
---------------------------                           Executive Officer and
    Dennis W. Bakke                                   Director (Principal
                                                      Executive Officer)
                                                      
</TABLE>
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<TABLE>
<S>                                                 <C>                  <C>
---------------------------                         Director             November   , 1996
Vicki-Ann Assevero

/s/ Alice F. Emerson                                Director             November 11, 1996
---------------------------
Dr. Alice F. Emerson

/s/ Robert F. Hemphill, Jr.                         Director             November 11, 1996
---------------------------
    Robert F. Hemphill, Jr.

/s/ Frank Jungers                                   Director             November 11, 1996
---------------------------
    Frank Jungers

/s/ Henry R. Linden                                 Director             November 11, 1996
---------------------------
    Dr. Henry R. Linden

/s/ Russell E. Train                                Director             November 11, 1996
---------------------------
    Russell E. Train

/s/ Thomas I. Unterberg                             Director             November 11, 1996
---------------------------
    Thomas I. Unterberg

/s/ Robert H. Waterman, Jr.                         Director             November 11, 1996
---------------------------
    Robert H. Waterman, Jr.

/s/ Barry J. Sharp                                  Vice President       November 11, 1996
---------------------------                         and Chief    
    Barry J. Sharp                                  Financial    
                                                    Officer      
                                                    (Principal   
                                                    Financial and
                                                    Accounting   
                                                    Officer) 
</TABLE>
    
                                                                 


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