Accounts Receivable, Past Due

No definition available.

Name:	aes_AccountsReceivablePastDue
Namespace Prefix:	aes_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

This element represents the aggregate carrying amount of the assets measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis by the entity before the recognition of impairment charges.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	aes_AssetsCarryingAmountDisclosureNonrecurring
Namespace Prefix:	aes_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Availability to generate electricity

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

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.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Derivative Liabililty, Amount in Technical Default

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	aes_DerivativeLiabililtyAmountinTechnicalDefault
Namespace Prefix:	aes_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The percent of total revenues from external customers attributed to all foreign countries

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	aes_EntityWideDisclosureOnGeographicAreasRevenueFromExternalCustomersAttributedToForeignCountriesPercent
Namespace Prefix:	aes_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The effective percentage of the affiliate's voting interest owned by the reporting entity (directly or indirectly)

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

-- None. No documentation exists for this element. --

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	aes_NumberOfSingleCustomersThatAccountedForTenPercentOrMoreOfTotalRevenue
Namespace Prefix:	aes_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of Lines of Business

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	aes_NumberofLinesofBusiness
Namespace Prefix:	aes_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of SBUs

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	aes_NumberofSBUs
Namespace Prefix:	aes_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Percentage of total revenues from a single customer

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Project Budgeted Cost

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Project Completion Percentage

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amounts due from customers or clients, within one year of the balance sheet date (or the normal operating cycle, whichever is longer) for goods or services (including trade receivables) that have been delivered or sold in the normal course of business.

+ 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(3))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(5))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccountsReceivableGrossCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of currency on hand as well as demand deposits with banks or financial institutions. Includes other kinds of accounts that have the general characteristics of demand deposits. Also includes short-term, highly liquid investments that are both readily convertible to known amounts of cash and so near their maturity that they present insignificant risk of changes in value because of changes in interest rates. Excludes cash and cash equivalents within disposal group and discontinued operation.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82887183&loc=d3e6676-107765

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 4
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98514028&loc=d3e3044-108585

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of outstanding long-term 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.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(c))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690

+ Details

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

- Definition

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

+ References

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

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsLiabilitiesNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- 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

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentsInAffiliatesSubsidiariesAssociatesAndJointVentures
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The charge against earnings in the period for the uninsured portion of a loss from a fire, explosion, or natural disaster (hurricane, earthquake).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 225
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.9)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=63488584&loc=d3e20235-122688

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossFromCatastrophes
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of operating segments. An operating segment is a component of an enterprise: (a) that engages in business activities from which it may earn revenues and incur expenses (including revenues and expenses relating to transactions with other components of the same enterprise), (b) whose operating results are regularly reviewed by the enterprise's chief operating decision maker to make decisions about resources to be allocated to the segment and assess its performance, and (c) for which discrete financial information is available. An operating segment may engage in business activities for which it has yet to earn revenues, for example, start-up operations may be operating segments before earning revenues.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfOperatingSegments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

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

- Details

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

- Details

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

- Details

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

- Details

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

- Details

Name:	aes_TypeOfDebtDefaultAxis=aes_CovenantViolationMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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

- Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ConsolidatedEntitiesAxis=aes_AESPuertoRicoMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Risks And Uncertainties (Details) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Risks And Uncertainties (Details) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) business segment customer Rate	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) customer	Jan. 01, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) customer	Jan. 01, 2015 USD ($)
Unusual Risk or Uncertainty [Line Items]
Number of SBUs \| business	5
Number of strategic business units \| segment	5
Segment Reporting, Additional Information about Entity's Reportable Segments \| business	2
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 949	$ 1,244	$ 1,218	$ 1,218	$ 1,449
Percent of revenue generated outside US	69.00%
Investment in and advances to subsidiaries and affiliates	$ 1,197	$ 621		$ 610
Debt Default Amount	$ 1,019
Number of customers that accounted for 10% of more of total revenue \| customer	0	0		0
Percentage of total revenues from a single customer (less than)	10.00%
AES llumina [Member]
Unusual Risk or Uncertainty [Line Items]
Loss from Catastrophes	$ 2
Availability to generate electricity \| Rate	75.00%
Alto Maipo [Member]
Unusual Risk or Uncertainty [Line Items]
Derivative Liabililty, Amount in Technical Default	$ 132
Project Completion Percentage	61.00%
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring	$ 1,400
Deferred Tax Assets, Net	60
Project Budgeted Cost	$ 2,000
Investment In Affiliate Ownership Percentage	62.00%
Gener Subsidiary [Member]
Unusual Risk or Uncertainty [Line Items]
Investment In Affiliate Ownership Percentage	67.00%
AES Puerto Rico [Member] \| Covenant Violation [Member]
Unusual Risk or Uncertainty [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Debt Default, Amount	$ 365
Debt Default Amount	365
Alto Maipo [Member] \| Covenant Violation [Member]
Unusual Risk or Uncertainty [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Debt Default, Amount	618
AES llumina [Member] \| Covenant Violation [Member]
Unusual Risk or Uncertainty [Line Items]
Debt Default Amount	36
AES Puerto Rico [Member]
Unusual Risk or Uncertainty [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring	627
Accounts Receivable, Gross, Current	86
Accounts Receivable, Past Due	$ 53