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Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets (Tables) | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2011
Goodwill And Other Intangible Assets Tables [Abstract] |
Goodwill By Segments |
|  |  |  | Latin |  | Latin |  | North |  | North |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  |  |  | America - |  | America - |  | America - |  | America - |  | Europe - |  | Asia - |  | Corporate |  |  |
|  |  |  | Generation |  | Utilities |  | Generation |  | Utilities |  | Generation |  | Generation |  | and Other |  | Total
Balance as of December 31, 2009 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Goodwill |  | $ | 926 |  | $ | 140 |  | $ | 111 |  | $ | - |  | $ | 137 |  | $ | 78 |  | $ | 101 |  | $ | 1,493
| Accumulated impairment losses |  |  | (24) |  |  | (7) |  |  | (20) |  |  | - |  |  | (137) |  |  | - |  |  | (6) |  |  | (194)
|  | Net balance |  |  | 902 |  |  | 133 |  |  | 91 |  |  | - |  |  | - |  |  | 78 |  |  | 95 |  |  | 1,299
| Impairment losses |  |  | - |  |  | - |  |  | (18) |  |  | - |  |  | - |  |  | - |  |  | (3) |  |  | (21)
| Foreign currency translation |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  | and other |  |  | - |  |  | - |  |  | (10) |  |  | - |  |  | - |  |  | 3 |  |  | - |  |  | (7)
Balance as of December 31, 2010 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Goodwill |  |  | 926 |  |  | 140 |  |  | 101 |  |  | - |  |  | 137 |  |  | 81 |  |  | 101 |  |  | 1,486
| Accumulated impairment losses |  |  | (24) |  |  | (7) |  |  | (38) |  |  | - |  |  | (137) |  |  | - |  |  | (9) |  |  | (215)
|  | Net balance |  |  | 902 |  |  | 133 |  |  | 63 |  |  | - |  |  | - |  |  | 81 |  |  | 92 |  |  | 1,271
| Impairment losses |  |  | - |  |  | - |  |  | - |  |  | - |  |  | - |  |  | (17) |  |  | - |  |  | (17)
| Goodwill acquired during the year(1) |  |  | - |  |  | - |  |  | - |  |  | 2,489 |  |  | - |  |  | - |  |  | - |  |  | 2,489
| Foreign currency translation |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  | and other |  |  | - |  |  | - |  |  | (10) |  |  | - |  |  | - |  |  | - |  |  | - |  |  | (10)
Balance as of December 31, 2011 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Goodwill |  |  | 926 |  |  | 140 |  |  | 91 |  |  | 2,489 |  |  | 137 |  |  | 81 |  |  | 101 |  |  | 3,965
| Accumulated impairment losses |  |  | (24) |  |  | (7) |  |  | (38) |  |  | - |  |  | (137) |  |  | (17) |  |  | (9) |  |  | (232)
|  | Net balance |  | $ | 902 |  | $ | 133 |  | $ | 53 |  | $ | 2,489 |  | $ | - |  | $ | 64 |  | $ | 92 |  | $ | 3,733
Other Intangible Assets |
|  |  | December 31, 2011 |  | December 31, 2010
|  |  | Gross |  | Accumulated |  | Net |  | Gross |  | Accumulated |  | Net
|  |  | Balance |  | Amortization |  | Balance |  | Balance |  | Amortization |  | Balance
|  |  |  | (in millions) |  | (in millions)
Subject to Amortization |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Project development rights(1) |  | $ | 102 |  | $ | - |  | $ | 102 |  | $ | 117 |  | $ | - |  | $ | 117
Sales concessions |  |  | 156 |  |  | (92) |  |  | 64 |  |  | 162 |  |  | (89) |  |  | 73
Contractual payment rights(2) |  |  | 69 |  |  | (13) |  |  | 56 |  |  | 65 |  |  | (4) |  |  | 61
Land use rights |  |  | 49 |  |  | (4) |  |  | 45 |  |  | 50 |  |  | (2) |  |  | 48
Management rights |  |  | 39 |  |  | (13) |  |  | 26 |  |  | 66 |  |  | (30) |  |  | 36
Emission allowances(3) |  |  | 18 |  |  | - |  |  | 18 |  |  | 8 |  |  | - |  |  | 8
Electric security plan |  |  | 88 |  |  | (9) |  |  | 79 |  |  | - |  |  | - |  |  | -
Customer contracts |  |  | 45 |  |  | (3) |  |  | 42 |  |  | - |  |  | - |  |  | -
Customer relationships |  |  | 30 |  |  | - |  |  | 30 |  |  | - |  |  | - |  |  | -
Other(4) |  |  | 71 |  |  | (30) |  |  | 41 |  |  | 70 |  |  | (26) |  |  | 44
| Subtotal |  |  | 667 |  |  | (164) |  |  | 503 |  |  | 538 |  |  | (151) |  |  | 387
Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Land use rights |  |  | 52 |  |  | - |  |  | 52 |  |  | 51 |  |  | - |  |  | 51
Emission allowances(5) |  |  | 4 |  |  | - |  |  | 4 |  |  | 8 |  |  | - |  |  | 8
Trademark/Trade name |  |  | 5 |  |  | - |  |  | 5 |  |  | - |  |  | - |  |  | -
Other |  |  | 2 |  |  | - |  |  | 2 |  |  | 2 |  |  | - |  |  | 2
| Subtotal |  |  | 63 |  |  | - |  |  | 63 |  |  | 61 |  |  | - |  |  | 61
Total |  | $ | 730 |  | $ | (164) |  | $ | 566 |  | $ | 599 |  | $ | (151) |  | $ | 448
Schedule Of Acquired Intangible Assets By Major Class [Text Block] |
|  |  | December 31, 2011
|  |  |  |  | Subject to |  |  |  |
|  |  |  |  |  | Amortization/ |  | Weighted Average |  | Amortization
|  |  | Amount |  | Indefinite-Lived |  | Amortization Period |  | Method
|  |  | (in millions) |  |  |  | (in years) |  |  |
Electric security plan(2) |  | $ | 88 |  | Subject to amortization |  |  | 1 |  |  | Straight line
Customer relationship(1) (3) |  |  | 30 |  | Subject to amortization |  |  | 12 |  |  | Straight line
Customer contracts(1) (4) |  |  | 45 |  | Subject to amortization |  |  | 3 |  |  | Other
Trademark/Trade name(1) (5) |  |  | 5 |  | Indefinite-lived |  |  | N/A |  |  | N/A
Other |  |  | 4 |  | Subject to amortization |  |  | Various |  |  | As utilized
Total |  | $ | 172 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  |  | December 31, 2010
|  |  |  |  | Subject to |  |  |  |
|  |  |  |  |  | Amortization/ |  | Weighted Average |  | Amortization
|  |  | Amount |  | Indefinite-Lived |  | Amortization Period |  | Method
|  |  | (in millions) |  |  |  | (in years) |  |  |
Project development rights |  | $ | 141 |  | Subject to amortization |  |  | Various |  |  | Straight line
Contractual payment rights |  |  | 65 |  | Subject to amortization |  |  | 10 |  |  | Straight line
Emission allowances |  |  | 14 |  | Subject to amortization |  |  | Various |  |  | As utilized
Land use rights |  |  | 7 |  | Indefinite-lived |  |  | N/A |  |  | N/A
Total |  | $ | 227 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Schedule of Expected Amortization Expense [Table Text Block] |
|  |  | Estimated amortization expense
|  |  | 2012 |  | 2013 |  | 2014 |  | 2015 |  | 2016
|  |  |  | (in millions)
| Contractual payment rights |  | $ | 9 |  | $ | 9 |  | $ | 9 |  | $ | 9 |  | $ | 3
| Sales concessions |  |  | 6 |  |  | 6 |  |  | 6 |  |  | 6 |  |  | 5
| Customer relationships & contracts |  |  | 35 |  |  | 11 |  |  | 4 |  |  | 3 |  |  | 3
| Electric security plan |  |  | 79 |  |  | - |  |  | - |  |  | - |  |  | -
| All other |  |  | 9 |  |  | 6 |  |  | 4 |  |  | 4 |  |  | 4
| Total |  | $ | 138 |  | $ | 32 |  | $ | 23 |  | $ | 22 |  | $ | 15

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- Definition Tabular disclosure of goodwill by reportable segment and in total. Disclosure details may include, but are not limited to, the carrying amount of goodwill, goodwill acquired during the year, goodwill impairment losses recognized, goodwill written-off due to the sale of a business unit, goodwill not yet allocated, and any other changes to goodwill. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6905597&loc=d3e13854-109267 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6905597&loc=d3e13816-109267 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 142 -Paragraph 45 -Subparagraph c -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 142 -Paragraph 45 -Subparagraph e -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 142 -Paragraph 47 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. + Details
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