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Investments In and Advances To Affiliates - Effective Equity Ownership Interest and Carrying Values (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions | Dec. 31, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2015
--- | --- | --- | ---
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Investments in and advances to affiliates |  | $ 1,197 | $ 621 | $ 610
sPower [Member] |  |  |  |
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Investments in and advances to affiliates |  | $ 508 | $ 0 |
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage |  | 50.00% | 0.00% |
Gener Subsidiary [Member] |  |  |  |
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Noncontrolling Interest, Ownership Percentage by Parent |  | 67.00% |  |
Barry |  |  |  |
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Investments in and advances to affiliates | [1] | $ 0 | $ 0 |
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage | [1] | 100.00% | 100.00% |
Elsta |  |  |  |
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Investments in and advances to affiliates | [1] | $ 38 | $ 41 |
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage | [1] | 50.00% | 50.00% |
Distributed Energy [Member] |  |  |  |
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Investments in and advances to affiliates | [1] | $ 15 | $ 22 |
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage | [1] | 95.00% | 95.00% |
Guacolda Affiliate [Member] |  |  |  |
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Investments in and advances to affiliates | [2] | $ 357 | $ 362 |
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage | [2] | 33.00% | 33.00% |
OPGC |  |  |  |
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Investments in and advances to affiliates | [3] | $ 269 | $ 195 |
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage | [3] | 49.00% | 49.00% |
Other Affiliates [Member] |  |  |  |
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Investments in and advances to affiliates |  | $ 10 | $ 1 |
Gener Subsidiary [Member] | Guacolda Affiliate [Member] |  |  |  |
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage |  | 50.00% |  |
[1] | Represent VIEs in which the Company holds a variable interest, but is not the primary beneficiary.
[2] | The Company's ownership in Guacolda is held through AES Gener, a 67%-owned consolidated subsidiary. AES Gener owns 50% of Guacolda, resulting in an AES effective ownership in Guacolda of 33%.
[3] | OPGC has one coal-fired project under development which is an expansion of our existing OPGC business. The project started construction in April 2014 and is expected to begin operations in 2019.

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- Definition The percentage of ownership of common stock or equity participation in the investee accounted for under the equity method of accounting. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 323 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -Subparagraph (a)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66011266&loc=d3e33918-111571 + Details
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- Definition 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. + References 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 + Details
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