XML 210 R162.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.3.1.900

Asset Impairment Expense (Impairment of Long-Lived Assets Held and Used by Asset) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions | 9 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | ---
Sep. 30, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Asset impairment expense |  | $ 285 | $ 91 | $ 95
Kilroot [Member] |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Asset impairment expense | $ 121 | 121 | 0 | 0
buffalo gap III [Member] |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Asset impairment expense | 116 | 116 | 0 | 0
UK Wind Development Projects [Domain] |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Asset impairment expense | $ 37 | 37 |  |
Ebute [Member] |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Asset impairment expense |  | 0 | 67 | 0
UK Wind (Newfield) [Member] |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Asset impairment expense |  |  | 12 | 0
DP&L (East Bend) |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Asset impairment expense |  | 0 | 12 | 0
Beaver Valley |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Asset impairment expense |  | 0 | 0 | 46
Conesville (DP&L) |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Asset impairment expense |  | 0 | 0 | 26
Itabo (San Lorenzo) |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Asset impairment expense |  | 0 | 0 | 16
Other |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Asset impairment expense |  | $ 11 | $ 0 | $ 7

X
- Definition Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DebtInstrumentLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The charge against earnings resulting from the write down of long lived assets other than goodwill due to the difference between the carrying value and lower fair value. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 360 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51719941&loc=d3e2921-110230 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 28 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56944662&loc=d3e3602-108585 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_OtherAssetImpairmentCharges
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | dei_LegalEntityAxis=aes_KilrootMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | dei_LegalEntityAxis=aes_BuffalogapIIIMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | dei_LegalEntityAxis=aes_UKWindDevelopmentProjectsDomain
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | dei_LegalEntityAxis=aes_EbuteMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | dei_LegalEntityAxis=aes_UKWindNewfieldMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | dei_LegalEntityAxis=aes_EastBendDPLMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | dei_LegalEntityAxis=aes_BeaverValleyMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | dei_LegalEntityAxis=aes_ConesvilleDPLMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | dei_LegalEntityAxis=aes_ItaboSanLorenzoMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | dei_LegalEntityAxis=aes_OtherImpairmentMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |