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Investments In and Advances To Affiliates - Effective Equity Ownership Interest and Carrying Values (Details) - USD ($) |  | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended |  |  |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Apr. 09, 2018 | Dec. 31, 2019 | Dec. 31, 2018 | Apr. 18, 2019 | Mar. 31, 2019 | Dec. 31, 2017
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Investments in and advances to affiliates |  |  | $ 966,000,000 | $ 1,114,000,000 |  |  | $ 1,197,000,000
sPower [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Investments in and advances to affiliates |  |  | $ 442,000,000 | $ 515,000,000 |  |  |
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage |  |  | 50.00% | 50.00% | 26.00% | 50.00% |
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% |  |  |
Other Long-term Debt |  |  | $ 44,000,000 | $ 43,000,000 |  |  |
Simple Energy [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Investments in and advances to affiliates | [2] |  | $ 91,000,000 | $ 33,000,000 |  |  |
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage | [2] |  | 32.00% | 63.00% |  |  |
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired |  | $ 35,000,000 |  |  |  |  |
Eolica Mesa La Paz [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Investments in and advances to affiliates | [3] |  | $ 66,000,000 | $ 8,000,000 |  |  |
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage | [3] |  | 50.00% | 50.00% |  |  |
Gas Natural del Este [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Investments in and advances to affiliates | [2] |  | $ 48,000,000 | $ 0 |  |  |
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage | [2] |  | 43.00% | 0.00% |  |  |
Distributed Energy [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired |  |  |  | $ 23,000,000 |  |  |
Guacolda Affiliate [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Investments in and advances to affiliates | [4] |  | $ 74,000,000 | $ 209,000,000 |  |  |
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage | [4] |  | 33.00% | 33.00% |  |  |
Equity Method Investment, Other than Temporary Impairment |  |  |  | $ 144,000,000 |  |  |
Guacolda Affiliate [Member] | Gener Subsidiary [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage |  |  | 50.00% |  |  |  |
OPGC Affiliate [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Investments in and advances to affiliates |  |  | $ 212,000,000 | $ 293,000,000 |  |  |
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage |  |  | 49.00% | 49.00% |  |  |
Equity Method Investment, Other than Temporary Impairment |  |  | $ 92,000,000 |  |  |  |
Other Affiliates [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Investments in and advances to affiliates | [5] |  | $ 33,000,000 | $ 56,000,000 |  |  |
[1] | Represents a VIE in which the Company holds a variable interest, but is not the primary beneficiary.
[2] | Simple Energy merged with Tendril on July 1, 2019 to form Uplight. Prior year information reported relates to Simple Energy.
[3] | The Eólica Mesa La Paz project received funding throughout 2019 and began operations during December 2019.
[4] | 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%.
[5] | Includes Bosforo, Fluence, Distributed Energy equity method investments, and others.

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