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Equity (Transactions with Noncontrolling Interests) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions |  |  |  |  |  | 1 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | 13 Months Ended |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Feb. 18, 2016 | Nov. 18, 2015 | Feb. 11, 2015 | Jul. 15, 2014 | Jun. 25, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2015 | Nov. 30, 2015 | Feb. 28, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2014 | Sep. 30, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2015 | Apr. 01, 2015
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Gain (Loss) on Disposition of Business |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 29 | $ 29 |  | $ 358 |  |  |
Masinloc Subsidiary [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Proceeds from divestiture of business |  |  |  |  | $ 453 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Sale of subsidiary shares to noncontrolling interests |  |  |  | $ 130 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disposal Group, Not Discontinued Operation, Gain (Loss) on Disposal |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 283 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Sale of Stock, Consideration Received Per Transaction |  |  |  | 436 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Divestiture of business, Portion Contingent |  |  |  | $ 23 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Sale of Stock, Percentage of Ownership after Transaction |  |  |  | 51.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disposal Group Not Discontinued Operation Ownership Interest Sold |  |  |  |  | 45.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Dominican Republic |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Noncontrolling Interest, Ownership Percentage by Noncontrolling Owners |  |  |  |  |  | 10.00% |  |  | 8.00% |  |  | 10.00% |  | 8.00% |  | 10.00% |
Proceeds from divestiture of business |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 83 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Sale Agreement, Buyer Option To Purchase Ownership Interest, Sales Price |  |  |  |  |  | $ 18 |  |  | 24 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Gain on Disposition of Stock in Subsidiary, Recorded to APIC |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 7 |  |  |  |  |
Cachagua [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Noncontrolling Interest, Ownership Percentage by Parent |  | 99.90% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Gener Subsidiary [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Gain on Disposition of Stock in Subsidiary, Recorded to APIC |  | $ 24 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Sale of Stock, Consideration Received Per Transaction |  | $ 145 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Sale of Stock, Percentage of Ownership before Transaction |  | 70.70% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Sale of Stock, Percentage of Ownership after Transaction |  | 66.70% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
IPP4 [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Noncontrolling Interest, Ownership Percentage by Parent |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 36.00% |  |  |  |  |  |
AES US Investment, Inc. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Investment In Affiliate Ownership Percentage Sold |  |  | 15.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Sale of Stock, Consideration Received Per Transaction |  |  | $ 247 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Masinloc Subsidiary [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Investment In Affiliate Ownership Percentage Sold |  |  |  |  | 45.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
IPALCO Enterprises, Inc. [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Noncontrolling Interest, Ownership Percentage by Noncontrolling Owners |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 24.90%
sales agreement, Buyer option to purchase ownership interest, exercised |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 214
Noncontrolling Interest, Ownership Percentage by Parent |  |  | 100.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Dominican Republic additional investment options [Domain] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Gain (Loss) on Disposition of Business |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 0 |
Gener Subsidiary [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Gain (Loss) on Disposition of Business |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 0 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disposal Group Not Discontinued Operation Ownership Interest Sold |  | 4.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Jordan [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Consideration | $ 21 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Gain (Loss) on Disposition of Business | $ 4 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disposal Group Not Discontinued Operation Ownership Interest Sold | 40.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Acquire additional shares through 2016 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Investment Options, acquisition percentage |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 17.65% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Acquire additional shares through December 31, 2017 [Member] | Dominican Republic |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Sale Agreement, Buyer Option To Purchase Ownership Interest, Sales Price |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 125 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Additional Paid-in Capital [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Sale of subsidiary shares to noncontrolling interests |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 84 | 323 |  | $ 29 |  |  |
Additional Paid-in Capital [Member] | AES Brasiliana [Domain] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Other Restructuring Costs |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 27 |  |  |  |  |
Additional Paid-in Capital [Member] | IPALCO Enterprises, Inc. [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Combination, Separately Recognized Transactions, Additional Disclosures, Issuance Costs Not Expensed |  |  |  |  |  | $ 84 |  |  |  |  |  | 84 |  |  |  | $ 84 |
Retained Earnings (Accumulated Deficit) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Sale of subsidiary shares to noncontrolling interests |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (84) | (377) |  | 0 |  |  |
Retained Earnings (Accumulated Deficit) | IPALCO Enterprises, Inc. [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Sale of subsidiary shares to noncontrolling interests |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (84) | (377) | [1] | 0 | [1] |  |
Noncontrolling Interest [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Sale of subsidiary shares to noncontrolling interests |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 17 | $ 119 |  | $ 173 |  |  |
Mitsui Ltd [Member] | IPP4 [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Noncontrolling Interest, Ownership Percentage by Noncontrolling Owners |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 40.00% |  |  |  |  |  |
Nebras Power Q.S.C [Member] | IPP4 [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Noncontrolling Interest, Ownership Percentage by Noncontrolling Owners |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 24.00% |  |  |  |  |  |
[1] | See Note 18—Redeemable stock of subsidiaries for further information on increase in paid-in capital transferred to redeemable stock of subsidiaries.

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