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Investments In and Advances To Affiliates - Summary of Financial Information of Affiliates & Subsidiaries (Details) - USD ($) |  |  |  | 1 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended |  |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Apr. 18, 2019 | Apr. 09, 2018 | Jan. 01, 2018 | Sep. 30, 2019 | Jul. 31, 2019 | Dec. 31, 2019 | Dec. 31, 2018 | Sep. 30, 2018 | Jun. 30, 2018 | Mar. 31, 2018 | Sep. 30, 2019 | Dec. 31, 2019 | Dec. 31, 2018 | Dec. 31, 2017 | Jul. 01, 2019 | Mar. 31, 2019
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax |  |  |  | $ (1,857,000,000) |  |  | $ (2,229,000,000) | $ (2,071,000,000) |  |  |  |  | $ (2,229,000,000) | $ (2,071,000,000) | $ (1,876,000,000) |  |
Investments in and advances to affiliates |  |  |  |  |  |  | 966,000,000 | 1,114,000,000 |  |  |  |  | 966,000,000 | 1,114,000,000 | 1,197,000,000 |  |
Gain (Loss) on Disposition of Business |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 128,000,000 | $ (21,000,000) | $ 89,000,000 | $ 788,000,000 |  | 28,000,000 | 984,000,000 | (52,000,000) |  |
Gain (Loss) on Disposition of Property Plant Equipment |  |  |  |  | $ 2,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Payments to Acquire Businesses and Interest in Affiliates |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 192,000,000 | 66,000,000 | 609,000,000 |  |
Proceeds from the sale of business interests, net of cash and restricted cash sold |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 178,000,000 | 2,020,000,000 | 108,000,000 |  |
Equity Method Investments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 98,000,000 |
Net equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ (175,000,000) |  |  |  |  |  | $ (172,000,000) | $ 39,000,000 | 71,000,000 |  |
Guacolda Affiliate [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage | [1] |  |  |  |  |  | 33.00% | 33.00% |  |  |  |  | 33.00% | 33.00% |  |  |
Investments in and advances to affiliates | [1] |  |  |  |  |  | $ 74,000,000 | $ 209,000,000 |  |  |  |  | $ 74,000,000 | $ 209,000,000 |  |  |
Impaired Long-Lived Assets Held and Used, Facts and Circumstances Leading to Impairment |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 158,000,000 |  |  |  |
Equity Method Investment, Other than Temporary Impairment |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 144,000,000 |  |  |
Gas Natural del Este [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage | [2] |  |  |  |  |  | 43.00% | 0.00% |  |  |  |  | 43.00% | 0.00% |  |  |
Investments in and advances to affiliates | [2] |  |  |  |  |  | $ 48,000,000 | $ 0 |  |  |  |  | $ 48,000,000 | $ 0 |  |  |
Noncash or Part Noncash Divestiture, Amount of Consideration Received |  |  |  |  | $ 55,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Distributed Energy [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 23,000,000 |  |  |
Business Combination, Equity Interest in Acquiree, Remeasurement Gain (Loss) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ (5,000,000) |  |  |  |  |  | $ 5,000,000 |  |  |
Simple Energy [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage | [2] |  |  |  |  |  | 32.00% | 63.00% |  |  |  |  | 32.00% | 63.00% |  |  |
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired |  |  | $ 35,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Investments in and advances to affiliates | [2] |  |  |  |  |  | $ 91,000,000 | $ 33,000,000 |  |  |  |  | $ 91,000,000 | $ 33,000,000 |  |  |
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred |  |  |  |  |  | $ 53,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity Method Investment, Realized Gain (Loss) on Disposal |  |  |  |  |  | $ 12,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Fluence [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition, Percentage of Voting Interests Acquired |  |  |  | 50.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Payments to Acquire Interest in Joint Venture |  |  |  | $ 7,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred |  |  |  | 50,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
sPower [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage |  | 26.00% |  |  |  |  | 50.00% | 50.00% |  |  |  |  | 50.00% | 50.00% |  |  | 50.00%
Investments in and advances to affiliates |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 442,000,000 | $ 515,000,000 |  |  |  |  | $ 442,000,000 | $ 515,000,000 |  |  |
Gain (Loss) on Disposition of Business |  | $ 28,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage Sold |  | 48.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity Method Investment, Net Sales Proceeds |  | $ 173,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Reinvestment of Proceeds from Sale of Equity Method Investments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 58,000,000 | $ 58,000,000 | $ 0 | 0 |  |
Barry |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage | [3] |  |  |  |  |  | 100.00% | 100.00% |  |  |  |  | 100.00% | 100.00% |  |  |
Other Long-term Debt |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 44,000,000 | $ 43,000,000 |  |  |  |  | $ 44,000,000 | $ 43,000,000 |  |  |
Investments in and advances to affiliates | [3] |  |  |  |  |  | $ 0 | 0 |  |  |  |  | 0 | 0 |  |  |
Non-cash [Member] | Fluence [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Contribution of Property |  |  |  | $ 20,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 61,000,000 | 20,000,000 | $ 0 |  |
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | Long Lived Assets Held For Sale [Member] | Guacolda Affiliate [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 209,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  | $ 209,000,000 |  |  |
[1] | 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%.
[2] | Simple Energy merged with Tendril on July 1, 2019 to form Uplight. Prior year information reported relates to Simple Energy.
[3] | Represents a VIE in which the Company holds a variable interest, but is not the primary beneficiary.

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