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Selected Quarterly Financial Data (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions |  | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | --- | ---
Dec. 06, 2019 | Dec. 31, 2019 | Sep. 30, 2019 | Jun. 30, 2019 | Mar. 31, 2019 | Dec. 31, 2018 | Sep. 30, 2018 | Jun. 30, 2018 | Mar. 31, 2018 | Dec. 31, 2019 | Dec. 31, 2018 | Dec. 31, 2017
Gain (Loss) on Disposition of Business |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 128 |  | $ (21) |  | $ 89 |  | $ 788 |  | $ 28 | $ 984 | $ (52)
Other Asset Impairment Charges |  | $ 69 |  |  | $ 116 |  |  | 42 |  | 74 |  | 92 |  |  |  | 185 | 208 | 537
Revenues |  | 2,431 |  | $ 2,625 | 2,483 |  | $ 2,650 | 2,622 |  | 2,837 |  | 2,537 |  | 2,740 |  | 10,189 | 10,736 | 10,530
Net equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates |  | (175) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (172) | 39 | 71
Discontinued Operation, Gain (Loss) on Disposal of Discontinued Operation, Net of Tax |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1 | 225 | (611)
Selected Quarterly Financial Information [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Operating margin |  | 560 |  | 701 | 502 |  | 586 | 646 |  | 671 |  | 600 |  | 656 |  | 2,349 | 2,573 | 2,465
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations, net of Tax |  | (120) | [1] | 298 | 66 | [1] | 233 | 155 | [2] | 192 | [2] | 224 | [2] | 778 | [2] | 477 | 1,349 | (148)
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest |  | 0 |  | 0 | 1 |  | 0 | 26 |  | (1) |  | 192 | [3] | (1) |  |  |  |
NET INCOME (LOSS) |  | (120) |  | 298 | 67 |  | 233 | 181 |  | 191 |  | 416 |  | 777 |  | 478 | 1,565 | (777)
Net income (loss) attributable to The AES Corporation |  | $ (78) |  | $ 210 | $ 17 |  | $ 154 | $ 128 |  | $ 101 |  | $ 290 |  | $ 684 |  | $ 303 | $ 1,203 | $ (1,161)
Basic earnings (loss) per share: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders, net of tax |  | $ (0.12) |  | $ 0.32 | $ 0.02 |  | $ 0.23 | $ 0.15 |  | $ 0.15 |  | $ 0.15 |  | $ 1.04 |  | $ 0.46 | $ 1.49 | $ (0.77)
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations and Disposal of Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax, Per Basic Share |  | 0 |  | 0 | 0 |  | 0 | 0.04 |  | 0 |  | 0.29 |  | 0 |  | 0 | 0.33 | (0.99)
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE AES CORPORATION COMMON STOCKHOLDERS |  | (0.12) |  | 0.32 | 0.02 |  | 0.23 | 0.19 |  | 0.15 |  | 0.44 |  | 1.04 |  | 0.46 | 1.82 | (1.76)
Diluted earnings (loss) per share: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders, net of tax |  | (0.12) |  | 0.32 | 0.02 |  | 0.23 | 0.15 |  | 0.15 |  | 0.15 |  | 1.03 |  | 0.45 | 1.48 | (0.77)
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations and Disposal of Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax, Per Diluted Share |  | 0 |  | 0 | 0 |  | 0 | 0.04 |  | 0 |  | 0.29 |  | 0 |  | 0 | 0.33 | (0.99)
Earnings Per Share, Diluted |  | (0.12) |  | 0.32 | 0.02 |  | 0.23 | 0.19 |  | 0.15 |  | 0.44 |  | 1.03 |  | 0.45 | 1.81 | (1.76)
Dividends declared per common share | $ 0.1433 | $ 0.28 |  | $ 0.14 | $ 0 |  | $ 0.14 | $ 0.27 |  | $ 0.13 |  | $ 0 |  | $ 0.13 |  | $ 0.5528 | $ 0.5300 | $ 0.4900
OPGC Affiliate [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity Method Investment, Other than Temporary Impairment |  | $ 92 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Guacolda Affiliate [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity Method Investment, Other than Temporary Impairment |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 144 |
Eletropaulo Subsidiary [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Discontinued Operation, Gain (Loss) on Disposal of Discontinued Operation, Net of Tax |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 199 |  |  |  |  |  |
Deconsolidation, Gain (Loss), Amount |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ (611)
UNITED STATES |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Income Tax Expense (Benefit) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 161 |  | $ 33 |  |  |  |  |  |  | 194 |
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Measurement Period Adjustment, Income Tax Expense (Benefit) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ (77) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ (17) | (77) |
Income Tax Expense (Benefit), Continuing Operations, Adjustment of Deferred Tax (Asset) Liability |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ (38) |
[1] | Includes pre-tax impairment expense of $116 million and $69 million, in the second and fourth quarters of 2019, respectively (See Note 22—Asset Impairment Expense), other-than-temporary impairment of OPGC of $92 million and net equity in losses of affiliates, primarily at Guacolda, of $175 million, in the fourth quarter of 2019 (See Note 8—Investments in and Advances to Affiliates).
[2] | Includes pre-tax gains on sales of business interests of $788 million, $89 million and $128 million, in the first, second and fourth quarters of 2018, respectively, and pre-tax losses of $21 million in the third quarter of 2018 (See Note 25—Held-for-Sale and Dispositions), pre-tax impairment expense of $92 million, $74 million and $42 million, in the second, third and fourth quarters of 2018, respectively (See Note 22—Asset Impairment Expense), other-than-temporary impairment of Guacolda of $144 million in the fourth quarter of 2018 (See Note 8—Investments in and Advances to Affiliates), SAB 118 charges to finalize the provisional estimate of one-time transition tax on foreign earnings of $33 million and $161 million in the third and fourth quarters of 2018, respectively, and a SAB 118 income tax benefit to finalize the provisional estimate of remeasurement of deferred tax assets and liabilities to the lower corporate tax rate of $77 million in the fourth quarter of 2018 (See Note 23—Income Taxes).
[3] | Includes gain on sale of Eletropaulo of $199 million in the second quarter of 2018 (See Note 24—Discontinued Operations).

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