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Acquisitions and Dispositions (Details) $ in Millions |  |  |  | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended |  |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Jul. 01, 2015 USD ($) | Aug. 22, 2014 USD ($) project | Apr. 26, 2013 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) | Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($) | Jun. 30, 2014 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($) | Aug. 31, 2015 | Nov. 20, 2014
Income Statement Balance Sheet And Additional Disclosures By Disposal Groups Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations Attributable to Parent |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 306 | $ 789 | $ 284 |  |
Dispositions and Held-for-Sales Businesses |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Proceeds from Sale of Ownership Interests |  |  |  |  |  |  | 154 | 83 | 109 |  |
Ebute [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Dispositions and Held-for-Sales Businesses |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership interest sold |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 95.00%
Proceeds from Sale of Ownership Interests |  |  |  | $ 22 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Pre-tax gain on disposal |  |  |  | $ (6) |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Pre-tax loss of disposed businesses, Excluding gain on disposal, included in continuing operations |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (27) |  |  |
Pre-tax income of disposed businesses, Excluding gain on disposal, included in continuing operations |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (29) |  |
AES NBO |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Dispositions and Held-for-Sales Businesses |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership interest sold |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 100.00%
UK Wind Projects |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Dispositions and Held-for-Sales Businesses |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership interest sold |  | 100.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Proceeds from Sale of Ownership Interests |  | $ 158 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Pre-tax gain on disposal |  |  |  |  | $ 78 |  |  |  |  |  |
Pre-tax loss of disposed businesses, Excluding gain on disposal, included in continuing operations |  |  |  |  |  |  | (18) | 3 |  |  |
AES Cartagena |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Dispositions and Held-for-Sales Businesses |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Pre-tax gain on disposal |  |  |  |  |  | $ 20 |  |  |  |  |
Proceeds from sale of ownership interest in Cartagena |  |  | $ 24 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
UK Wind Projects |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Dispositions and Held-for-Sales Businesses |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of U.K. Wind Projects Sold | project |  | 4 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disposal Group, Disposed of by Sale, Not Discontinued Operations [Member] | Armenia Mountain [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Statement Balance Sheet And Additional Disclosures By Disposal Groups Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Proceeds from Divestiture of Businesses | $ 64 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Dispositions and Held-for-Sales Businesses |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Pre-tax gain on disposal | $ 22 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disposal Group, Held-for-sale, Not Discontinued Operations [Member] | Armenia Mountain [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Statement Balance Sheet And Additional Disclosures By Disposal Groups Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations Attributable to Parent |  |  |  |  |  |  | 6 | 7 | 4 |  |
Disposal Group, Held-for-sale, Not Discontinued Operations [Member] | Kelanitissa [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Statement Balance Sheet And Additional Disclosures By Disposal Groups Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Divestiture Of Ownership In Subsidiary Percent |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 90.00% |
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations Attributable to Parent |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ (7) | $ 1 | $ 16 |  |

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