XML 72 R70.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.20.1

Contingencies and Commitments (Details) $ in Millions | 3 Months Ended |
--- | --- | ---
Mar. 31, 2020 USD ($) agreement | Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)
Guarantees Letters Of Credit [Abstract] |  |  |
The range of expiration dates of guarantees made by the Parent Company |  | less than one year to more than 15 years |
Contingent Contractual Obligations [Line Items] |  |  |
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted |  | $ 1,275 |
Number of Agreements | agreement |  | 81 |
Litigation [Member] |  |  |
Contingent Contractual Obligations [Line Items] |  |  |
Loss Contingency Accrual |  | $ 43 | $ 55
Environmental Remediation Contingency [Domain] |  |  |
Contingent Contractual Obligations [Line Items] |  |  |
Accrual for Environmental Loss Contingencies |  | 4 |
Guarantee Obligations [Member] |  |  |
Contingent Contractual Obligations [Line Items] |  |  |
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted |  | $ 906 |
Number of Agreements |  | 43 |
Indemnification Agreement [Member] |  |  |
Contingent Contractual Obligations [Line Items] |  |  |
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted | [1] | $ 12 |
Number of Agreements |  | 1 |
Minimum [Member] | Litigation [Member] |  |  |
Contingent Contractual Obligations [Line Items] |  |  |
Loss Contingency, Estimate of Possible Loss |  | $ 260 |
Minimum [Member] | Guarantee Obligations [Member] |  |  |
Contingent Contractual Obligations [Line Items] |  |  |
Loss Contingency, Estimate of Possible Loss |  | $ 0 |
Minimum [Member] | Standby Letters of Credit [Member] |  |  |
Contingent Contractual Obligations [Line Items] |  |  |
Letter of credit fee percentage paid |  | 1.00% |
Maximum [Member] | Litigation [Member] |  |  |
Contingent Contractual Obligations [Line Items] |  |  |
Loss Contingency, Estimate of Possible Loss |  | $ 689 |
Maximum [Member] | Environmental Remediation Contingency [Domain] |  |  |
Contingent Contractual Obligations [Line Items] |  |  |
Loss Contingency, Estimate of Possible Loss |  | 13 |
Maximum [Member] | Guarantee Obligations [Member] |  |  |
Contingent Contractual Obligations [Line Items] |  |  |
Loss Contingency, Estimate of Possible Loss |  | 157 |
Maximum [Member] | Indemnification Agreement [Member] |  |  |
Contingent Contractual Obligations [Line Items] |  |  |
Loss Contingency, Estimate of Possible Loss |  | $ 12 |
Maximum [Member] | Standby Letters of Credit [Member] |  |  |
Contingent Contractual Obligations [Line Items] |  |  |
Letter of credit fee percentage paid |  | 3.00% |
Unsecured Debt [Member] | Financial Standby Letter of Credit [Member] |  |  |
Contingent Contractual Obligations [Line Items] |  |  |
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted |  | $ 343 |
Number of Agreements |  | 14 |
Unsecured Debt [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Financial Standby Letter of Credit [Member] |  |  |
Contingent Contractual Obligations [Line Items] |  |  |
Loss Contingency, Estimate of Possible Loss |  | $ 1 |
Unsecured Debt [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Financial Standby Letter of Credit [Member] |  |  |
Contingent Contractual Obligations [Line Items] |  |  |
Loss Contingency, Estimate of Possible Loss |  | 296 |
Secured Debt [Member] | Financial Standby Letter of Credit [Member] |  |  |
Contingent Contractual Obligations [Line Items] |  |  |
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted |  | $ 14 |
Number of Agreements |  | 23 |
Secured Debt [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Financial Standby Letter of Credit [Member] |  |  |
Contingent Contractual Obligations [Line Items] |  |  |
Loss Contingency, Estimate of Possible Loss |  | $ 0 |
Secured Debt [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Financial Standby Letter of Credit [Member] |  |  |
Contingent Contractual Obligations [Line Items] |  |  |
Loss Contingency, Estimate of Possible Loss |  | $ 4 |
[1] | Excludes normal and customary representations and warranties in agreements for the sale of assets (including ownership in associated legal entities) where the associated risk is considered to be nominal.

X
- 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: | aes_ContingentContractualObligationsLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | aes_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition -- None. No documentation exists for this element. -- + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | aes_GuaranteesLettersOfCreditAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | aes_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Number of agreements under which the Parent Company has contingent contractual obligations. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | aes_ObligationsNumberOfAgreements
Namespace Prefix: | aes_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Total costs accrued as of the balance sheet date for environmental loss contingencies. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121557415&loc=d3e14326-108349 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 25 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6395460&loc=d3e13647-108346 Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 410 -SubTopic 30 -Section 50 -Paragraph 7 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6393242&loc=d3e13207-110859 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_AccrualForEnvironmentalLossContingencies
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Maximum potential amount of future payments (undiscounted) the guarantor could be required to make under the guarantee or each group of similar guarantees before reduction for potential recoveries under recourse or collateralization provisions. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 460 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (b)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121555522&loc=d3e12069-110248 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsMaximumExposure
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Describe the approximate term of the guarantee or each group of similar guarantees. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 460 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (a)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121555522&loc=d3e12069-110248 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsTerm
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The fee, expressed as a percentage of the line of credit facility, for available but unused credit capacity under the credit facility. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityUnusedCapacityCommitmentFeePercentage
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of loss contingency liability. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121557415&loc=d3e14326-108349 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_LossContingencyAccrualAtCarryingValue
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Reflects the estimated amount of loss from the specified contingency as of the balance sheet date. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121557415&loc=d3e14435-108349 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 9 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121557415&loc=d3e14557-108349 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 460 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121555522&loc=d3e12021-110248 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_LossContingencyEstimateOfPossibleLoss
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis=aes_LitigationMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis=us-gaap_EnvironmentalRemediationContingencyDomain
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis=us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis=us-gaap_IndemnificationGuaranteeMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_RangeAxis=srt_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis=us-gaap_StandbyLettersOfCreditMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_RangeAxis=srt_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_UnsecuredDebtMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis=us-gaap_FinancialStandbyLetterOfCreditMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_SecuredDebtMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |