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v2.4.1.9

Property, Plant and Equipment (Components of PP&E) (Details) (USD $) | 12 Months Ended |
--- | --- | ---
Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Electric generation, distribution assets and other | 30,459,000,000 us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentOther | $ 30,596,000,000 us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentOther
Accumulated depreciation | (9,962,000,000)us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment | (9,604,000,000)us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment
Net electric generation and distribution assets and other | 20,497,000,000 aes_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentElectricGenerationDistributionAssetsAndOtherNetHeldForSale | 20,992,000,000 aes_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentElectricGenerationDistributionAssetsAndOtherNetHeldForSale
Net electronic generation and distribution assets and other related to held for sale business | 0 aes_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentElectricGenerationDistributionAssetsAndOtherNetRelatedToDiscontinuedOperations | 1,200,000,000 aes_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentElectricGenerationDistributionAssetsAndOtherNetRelatedToDiscontinuedOperations
Capitalized computer software, net | 115,000,000 us-gaap_CapitalizedComputerSoftwareNet | 133,000,000 us-gaap_CapitalizedComputerSoftwareNet
Electric generation and distribution facilities |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Electric generation, distribution assets and other | 27,488,000,000 us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentOther / us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis = us-gaap_ElectricGenerationTransmissionAndDistributionEquipmentMember | 27,619,000,000 us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentOther / us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis = us-gaap_ElectricGenerationTransmissionAndDistributionEquipmentMember
Electric generation and distribution facilities | Minimum |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Estimated Useful Life | 5 years |
Electric generation and distribution facilities | Maximum |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Estimated Useful Life | 68 years |
Other buildings |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Electric generation, distribution assets and other | 1,694,000,000 us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentOther / us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis = us-gaap_BuildingAndBuildingImprovementsMember | 1,726,000,000 us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentOther / us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis = us-gaap_BuildingAndBuildingImprovementsMember
Other buildings | Minimum |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Estimated Useful Life | 5 years |
Other buildings | Maximum |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Estimated Useful Life | 53 years |
Furniture, fixtures and equipment |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Electric generation, distribution assets and other | 307,000,000 us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentOther / us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis = aes_FurnitureFixturesAndEquipmentMember | 312,000,000 us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentOther / us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis = aes_FurnitureFixturesAndEquipmentMember
Furniture, fixtures and equipment | Minimum |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Estimated Useful Life | 2 years |
Furniture, fixtures and equipment | Maximum |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Estimated Useful Life | 31 years |
Other |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Electric generation, distribution assets and other | 970,000,000 us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentOther / us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis = us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentOtherTypesMember | $ 939,000,000 us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentOther / us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis = us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentOtherTypesMember
Other | Minimum |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Estimated Useful Life | 1 year |
Other | Maximum |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Estimated Useful Life | 50 years |

X
- Definition This element represents capitalized assets classified as property, plant and equipment not otherwise defined in the taxonomy, net of accumulated depreciation, included in noncurrent assets of discontinued and held for sale businesses. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | aes_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentElectricGenerationDistributionAssetsAndOtherNetHeldForSale
Namespace Prefix: | aes_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Net electric generation, distribution assets and other property, plant and equipment other than Land and Construction in Progress related to discontinued operations, which are classified as "noncurrent assets of held for sale and discontinued businesses" on the balance sheet + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | aes_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentElectricGenerationDistributionAssetsAndOtherNetRelatedToDiscontinuedOperations
Namespace Prefix: | aes_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount of accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization for physical assets used in the normal conduct of business to produce goods and services. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 360 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6391035&loc=d3e2868-110229 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.14) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 14 -Article 5 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition The carrying amount of capitalized computer software costs net of accumulated amortization as of the balance sheet date. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 985 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6501960&loc=d3e128487-111756 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 985 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6501960&loc=d3e128462-111756 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_CapitalizedComputerSoftwareNet
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

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- Details
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Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount before accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization of other physical assets used in the normal conduct of business to produce goods and services and not intended for resale. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 360 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6391035&loc=d3e2868-110229 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentOther
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Useful life of long lived, physical assets used in the normal conduct of business and not intended for resale, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days. Examples include, but not limited to, land, buildings, machinery and equipment, office equipment, furniture and fixtures, and computer equipment. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentUsefulLife
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

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- Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=aes_FurnitureFixturesAndEquipmentMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
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- Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=us-gaap_BuildingAndBuildingImprovementsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=us-gaap_ElectricGenerationTransmissionAndDistributionEquipmentMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentOtherTypesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
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Balance Type: |
Period Type: |