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Selected Quarterly Financial Data (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions |  | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | --- | ---
Dec. 11, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2015 | Sep. 30, 2015 | Jun. 30, 2015 | Mar. 31, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2014 | Sep. 30, 2014 | Jun. 30, 2014 | Mar. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013
Selected Quarterly Financial Information [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue |  | $ 3,400 | $ 3,721 |  | $ 3,858 |  | $ 3,984 |  | $ 4,132 |  | $ 4,441 |  | $ 4,311 |  | $ 4,262 |  | $ 14,963 | $ 17,146 | $ 15,891
Operating margin |  | 718 | 673 |  | 754 |  | 721 |  | 708 |  | 767 |  | 819 |  | 794 |  | 2,866 | 3,088 | 3,247
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net of tax |  | 41 | 203 | [1] | 264 | [1] | 254 | [1] | 298 | [2],[3] | 508 | [2],[3] | 281 | [2],[3] | 89 | [2],[3] | 762 | 1,176 | 730
Discontinued operations, net of tax |  | 0 | 0 |  | 0 |  | 0 |  | 0 |  | 0 |  | (6) |  | (23) |  |  |  |
NET INCOME |  | 41 | 203 |  | 264 |  | 254 |  | 298 |  | 508 |  | 275 |  | 66 |  | 762 | 1,147 | 551
Net income (loss) attributable to The AES Corporation |  | $ (85) | $ 180 |  | $ 69 |  | $ 142 |  | $ 206 |  | $ 488 |  | $ 133 |  | $ (58) |  | $ 306 | $ 769 | $ 114
Basic income (loss) per share: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation, net of tax |  | $ (0.13) | $ 0.27 |  | $ 0.10 |  | $ 0.20 |  | $ 0.29 |  | $ 0.68 |  | $ 0.20 |  | $ (0.07) |  | $ 0.45 | $ 1.10 | $ 0.38
Discontinued operations attributable to The AES Corporation, net of tax |  | 0.00 | 0.00 |  | 0.00 |  | 0.00 |  | 0.00 |  | 0.00 |  | (0.02) |  | (0.01) |  | 0.00 | (0.03) | (0.23)
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE AES CORPORATION COMMON STOCKHOLDERS |  | (0.13) | 0.27 |  | 0.10 |  | 0.20 |  | 0.29 |  | 0.68 |  | 0.18 |  | (0.08) |  | 0.45 | 1.07 | 0.15
Diluted income (loss) per share: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation, net of tax |  | (0.13) | 0.26 |  | 0.10 |  | 0.20 |  | 0.29 |  | 0.67 |  | 0.20 |  | (0.07) |  | 0.44 | 1.09 | 0.38
Discontinued operations attributable to The AES Corporation, net of tax |  | 0.00 | 0.00 |  | 0.00 |  | 0.00 |  | 0.00 |  | 0.00 |  | (0.02) |  | (0.01) |  | 0.00 | (0.03) | (0.23)
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE AES CORPORATION COMMON STOCKHOLDERS |  | (0.13) | 0.26 |  | 0.10 |  | 0.20 |  | 0.29 |  | 0.67 |  | 0.18 |  | (0.08) |  | 0.44 | 1.06 | 0.15
Dividends declared per common share | $ 0.11 | $ 0.21 | $ 0.1 |  | $ 0.1 |  | $ 0 |  | $ 0.15 |  | $ 0.05 |  | $ 0.05 |  | $ 0 |  | $ 0.41 | $ 0.25 | $ 0.17
Impairment expense pre-tax total |  | $ 326 | $ 231 |  | $ 37 |  | $ 8 |  | $ 79 |  | $ 31 |  | $ 107 |  | $ 166 |  |  |  |
Net equity in earnings of affiliates |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ (105) | $ (19) | $ (25)
Masinloc Subsidiary |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Diluted income (loss) per share: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disposal Group, Not Discontinued Operation, Gain (Loss) on Disposal |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 283 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
UK Wind Projects |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Diluted income (loss) per share: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disposal Group, Not Discontinued Operation, Gain (Loss) on Disposal |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 78 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
ARGENTINA |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Diluted income (loss) per share: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Interest Income, Other |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 59 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Embedded Derivative, Gain on Embedded Derivative |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 106 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Elsta |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Diluted income (loss) per share: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Net equity in earnings of affiliates |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 41 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 41 |  |
[1] | (1)Includes pretax impairment expense of $8 million, $37 million, $231 million and $326 million, for the first, second, third and fourth quarters of 2015, respectively. See Note 9—Other Non-Operating Expense, Note 10—Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets, and Note 21—Asset Impairment Expense for further discussion.
[2] | (2) Includes a pretax gain of approximately $283 million for the third quarter of 2014 related to the sale of a noncontrolling interest in Masinloc. See Note 16—Equity for further discussion. Includes pretax gain of approximately $78 million for the third quarter of 2014 related to the sale of the U.K. wind projects. See Note 24—Dispositions and Held-for-Sale Businesses for further discussion. Includes pretax interest income of $59 million recognized on FONIVEMEM III receivables at AES Argentina in the fourth quarter of 2014. Also includes a pretax foreign currency derivative gain of $106 million recognized on the FONIVEMEM III receivables in the fourth quarter of 2014. See Note 7—Financing Receivables for further discussion. Includes pretax loss of $41 million recognized in Net equity in earnings of affiliates corresponding to the Company's share of an asset impairment at Elsta in the fourth quarter of 2014. See Note 8—Investments In And Advances To Affiliates for further discussion.
[3] | (3) Includes pretax impairment expense of $166 million, $107 million, $31 million and $79 million, for the first, second, third and fourth quarters of 2014, respectively. See Note 9—Other Non-Operating Expense, Note 10—Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets, and Note 21—Asset Impairment Expense for further discussion.

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