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Benefit Plans Benefit Plans (Weighted Average Assumptions) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013
U.S. Defined Benefit Plans |  |
Benefit Obligation: |  |
Discount rates | 4.04%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationDiscountRate / us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis = us-gaap_UnitedStatesPensionPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember | 4.89%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationDiscountRate / us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis = us-gaap_UnitedStatesPensionPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember
Rates of compensation increase | 3.94%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationRateOfCompensationIncrease / us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis = us-gaap_UnitedStatesPensionPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember | 3.94%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationRateOfCompensationIncrease / us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis = us-gaap_UnitedStatesPensionPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember
Periodic Benefit Cost: |  |
Discount rate | 4.89%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostDiscountRate / us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis = us-gaap_UnitedStatesPensionPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember | 3.86%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostDiscountRate / us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis = us-gaap_UnitedStatesPensionPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember
Expected long-term rate of return on plan assets | 6.92%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostExpectedLongTermReturnOnAssets / us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis = us-gaap_UnitedStatesPensionPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember | 7.15%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostExpectedLongTermReturnOnAssets / us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis = us-gaap_UnitedStatesPensionPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember
Rate of compensation increase | 3.94%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostRateOfCompensationIncrease / us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis = us-gaap_UnitedStatesPensionPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember | 3.94%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostRateOfCompensationIncrease / us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis = us-gaap_UnitedStatesPensionPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember
Defined benefit plan, benefit obligation subsidiary using salary bonds | $ 748 aes_DefinedBenefitPlanBenefitObligationSubsidiaryUsingSalaryBands / us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis = us-gaap_UnitedStatesPensionPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember | $ 651 aes_DefinedBenefitPlanBenefitObligationSubsidiaryUsingSalaryBands / us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis = us-gaap_UnitedStatesPensionPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember
Foreign Defined Benefit Plans |  |
Benefit Obligation: |  |
Discount rates | 10.47%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationDiscountRate / us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis = us-gaap_ForeignPensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember | 10.80%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationDiscountRate / us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis = us-gaap_ForeignPensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
Rates of compensation increase | 6.41%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationRateOfCompensationIncrease / us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis = us-gaap_ForeignPensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember | 6.44%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationRateOfCompensationIncrease / us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis = us-gaap_ForeignPensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
Periodic Benefit Cost: |  |
Discount rate | 10.80%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostDiscountRate / us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis = us-gaap_ForeignPensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember | 8.28%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostDiscountRate / us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis = us-gaap_ForeignPensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
Expected long-term rate of return on plan assets | 10.44%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostExpectedLongTermReturnOnAssets / us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis = us-gaap_ForeignPensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember | 11.16%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostExpectedLongTermReturnOnAssets / us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis = us-gaap_ForeignPensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
Rate of compensation increase | 6.44%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostRateOfCompensationIncrease / us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis = us-gaap_ForeignPensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember | 6.47%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostRateOfCompensationIncrease / us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis = us-gaap_ForeignPensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember

X
- Definition Represents the benefit obligation (the projected benefit obligation, which is the actuarial present value as of a date of all benefits attributed by the pension benefit formula to employee service rendered prior to that date) of a subsidiary which uses salary bands to determine future benefit costs rather than a rate of compensation increase + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition The interest rate used to adjust for the time value of money for the plan. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (k)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35743120&loc=d3e1928-114920 + Details
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- Definition Expected rate of compensation increases (for pay-related plans). + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (k)(2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35743120&loc=d3e1928-114920 + Details
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- Definition The interest rate used to adjust for the time value of money. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (k)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35743120&loc=d3e1928-114920 + Details
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- Definition An assumption as to the rate of return on plan assets reflecting the average rate of earnings expected on the funds invested or to be invested to provide for the benefits included in the benefit obligation. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 30 -Glossary Expected Long-Term Rate of Return on Plan Assets -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6512013 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (k)(3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35743120&loc=d3e1928-114920 + Details
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- Definition Expected rate of compensation increases (for pay-related plans). + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (k)(2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35743120&loc=d3e1928-114920 + Details
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