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Discontinued Operations And Held For Sale Businesses (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified | 12 Months Ended |  | 12 Months Ended |  | 12 Months Ended |  |  | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2011 | Dec. 31, 2010 | Dec. 31, 2009 | Dec. 31, 2010 Subsidiary Lal Pir And Pak Gen [Member] | Dec. 31, 2009 Subsidiary Lal Pir And Pak Gen [Member] | Dec. 31, 2011 Subsidiary Lal Pir [Member] | Dec. 31, 2010 Subsidiary Lal Pir [Member] mw | Dec. 31, 2009 Subsidiary Lal Pir [Member] | Dec. 31, 2011 Subsidiary Pak Gen [Member] | Dec. 31, 2010 Subsidiary Pak Gen [Member] mw | Dec. 31, 2009 Subsidiary Pak Gen [Member] | Dec. 31, 2011 Subsidiary Barka [Member] | Dec. 31, 2010 Subsidiary Barka [Member] mw | Dec. 31, 2009 Subsidiary Barka [Member] | Dec. 31, 2011 Subsidiary Ras Laffan [Member] | Dec. 31, 2010 Subsidiary Ras Laffan [Member] mw | Dec. 31, 2009 Subsidiary Ras Laffan [Member] | Dec. 31, 2011 Eastern Energy Subsidiary [Member] mw | Dec. 31, 2011 Subsidiary Borsod And Tiszapalkonya [Member] mw | Dec. 31, 2011 Brazil Telecom [Member] | Dec. 31, 2010 Brazil Telecom [Member] | Dec. 31, 2009 Brazil Telecom [Member] | Dec. 31, 2011 Edelap Edes And Central Dique [Member] | Dec. 31, 2010 Edelap Edes And Central Dique [Member] | Dec. 31, 2009 Edelap Edes And Central Dique [Member] | Dec. 31, 2011 Edelap [Member] integer | Dec. 31, 2011 Edes [Member] integer | Dec. 31, 2011 Central Dique [Member] mw | Dec. 31, 2011 Carbon Reduction Projects [Member] | Dec. 31, 2011 Wind Projects [Member] | Dec. 31, 2010 Wind Projects [Member] | Dec. 31, 2009 Wind Projects [Member] | Dec. 31, 2011 Thames [Member] mw | Dec. 31, 2010 Subsidiary Barka Service Companies [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012 Red Oak [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012 Ironwood [Member]
Income Statement Balance Sheet And Additional Disclosures By Disposal Groups Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Generation Capacity (MW) |  |  |  |  |  |  | 362 |  |  | 365 |  |  | 456 |  |  | 756 |  | 1,169 | 161 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 68 |  |  |  |  | 208 |  |  |
Divestiture Of Ownership In Subsidiary Percent |  |  |  |  |  |  | 55.00% |  |  | 55.00% |  |  | 35.00% |  |  | 55.00% |  |  |  | 46.00% |  |  |  |  |  | 90.00% | 90.00% | 51.00% | 100.00% |  |  |  |  | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00%
Sale Proceeds |  |  |  | $ 117 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 170 |  |  | $ 234 |  |  |  | $ 893 |  |  | $ 4 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 147 | $ 87
Sale Proceeds AES Portion |  |  |  | 65 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 124 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Gain (loss) on disposal and impairment, after taxes | 86 | 64 | (150) | (22) | (150) | 0 | (6) | (74) | 0 | (16) | (76) | 0 | 80 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |  |  | 446 | 0 | 0 | (338) | 0 | 0 |  |  |  |  | (22) | 0 | 0 |  |  |  |
(Gain) loss on disposal and impairment write-down before tax and NCI | 388 | 209 | (150) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Tax effect of gain on disposal of discontinued oeprations | 300 | 132 | 0 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Asset impairment expense | 225 | 389 | 20 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 827 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 40 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Fair Value |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Carrying Amount |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 49 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Customers Served |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 329,000 | 172,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss recognized due to CTA |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 208 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Discontinued Operations Income Loss |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue | 631 | 1,453 | 1,715 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income (loss) from operations of discontinued businesses, before taxes | (113) | (732) | 155 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income tax (expense) benefit | 23 | 266 | (48) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income (loss) from operations of discontinued businesses | $ (90) | $ (466) | $ 107 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

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