Name:	aes_AssetsCarryingAmountDisclosureNonrecurring
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Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Amount of outstanding debt or borrowing associated with any securities or credit agreement for which there has been a default in principal, interest, sinking fund, or redemption provisions, or any breach of covenant that existed at the end of the period and subsequently has not been cured.

No definition available.

Name:	aes_DebtDefaultAmount
Namespace Prefix:	aes_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Derivative Liabililty, Amount in Technical Default

No definition available.

Name:	aes_DerivativeLiabililtyAmountinTechnicalDefault
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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Increase (Decrease) in Projected Costs

No definition available.

Name:	aes_IncreaseDecreaseinProjectedCosts
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Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
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The effective percentage of the affiliate's voting interest owned by the reporting entity (directly or indirectly)

No definition available.

Name:	aes_InvestmentInAffiliateOwnershipPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	aes_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Project Budgeted Cost

No definition available.

Name:	aes_ProjectBudgetedCost
Namespace Prefix:	aes_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Amount, after allocation of valuation allowances and deferred tax liability, of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible differences and carryforwards, without jurisdictional netting.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84230637&loc=d3e32537-109319

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Total investments in (A) an entity in which the entity has significant influence, but does not have control, (B) subsidiaries that are not required to be consolidated and are accounted for using the equity and or cost method, and (C) an entity in which the reporting entity shares control of the entity with another party or group. Includes long-term advances receivable from a party that is affiliated with the reporting entity by means of direct or indirect ownership.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.12)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

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Minimum amount of other commitment not otherwise specified in the taxonomy. Excludes commitments explicitly modeled in the taxonomy, including but not limited to, long-term and short-term purchase commitments, recorded and unrecorded purchase obligations, supply commitments, registration payment arrangements, leases, debt, product warranties, guarantees, environmental remediation obligations, and pensions.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_OtherCommitment
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

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.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_UnusualRiskOrUncertaintyLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=aes_AltoMaipoMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=aes_GenerSubsidiaryMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	aes_DebtDefaultBySubsidiaryAxis=aes_AltoMaipoMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: