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Contingencies (Loss Contingencies) (Details) $ in Millions | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended |
--- | --- | --- | ---
Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($) agreement | Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($) agreement | Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |
Guarantor Obligations, Term |  | less than one year to no more than 15 years |
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted | $ 1,546 | $ 1,546 |
Number of Agreements | agreement | 112 | 112 |
Environmental Remediation Contingency [Domain] |  |  |
Environmental Contingencies |  |  |
Liability recorded for projected environmental remediation costs | $ 5 | $ 5 | $ 4
Guarantee Obligations [Member] |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted | $ 1,358 | $ 1,358 |
Number of Agreements | agreement | 69 | 69 |
Litigation |  |  |
Litigation Contingencies |  |  |
Aggregate reserves for claims deemed both probable and reasonably estimable | $ 28 | $ 28 | 55
Parent Company [Member] |  |  |
Litigation Contingencies |  |  |
Other Intangible Assets, Net | 0 | 0 | $ 1
Parent Company [Member] | Guarantees [Member] |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted | $ 1,400 | $ 1,400 |
Number of Agreements | agreement | 69 | 69 |
AES Tiete [Domain] | Compensation from Concession Agreement |  |  |
Litigation Contingencies |  |  |
Deferred Compensation Arrangement with Individual, Requisite Service Period | 2 years 7 months 6 days |  |
AES Tiete |  |  |
Litigation Contingencies |  |  |
Reversal of Cost of Goods Sold | $ 184 | $ 184 |
AES Tiete | Compensation from Concession Agreement |  |  |
Litigation Contingencies |  |  |
Other Intangible Assets, Net | 184 | 184 |
Unsecured Debt [Member] | Financial Standby Letter of Credit [Member] |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted | $ 110 | $ 110 |
Number of Agreements | agreement | 25 | 25 |
Secured Debt [Member] | Financial Standby Letter of Credit [Member] |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted | $ 77 | $ 77 |
Number of Agreements | agreement | 17 | 17 |
Secured Debt [Member] | Surety Bond |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted | $ 1 | $ 1 |
Number of Agreements | agreement | 1 | 1 |
Minimum [Member] | Standby Letters of Credit [Member] |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |
Line of Credit Facility, Unused Capacity, Commitment Fee Percentage |  | 1.00% |
Minimum [Member] | Guarantee Obligations [Member] |  |  |
Environmental Contingencies |  |  |
Loss Contingency, Estimate of Possible Loss | $ 0 | $ 0 |
Minimum [Member] | Litigation |  |  |
Environmental Contingencies |  |  |
Loss Contingency, Estimate of Possible Loss | 245 | 245 |
Minimum [Member] | Unsecured Debt [Member] | Financial Standby Letter of Credit [Member] |  |  |
Environmental Contingencies |  |  |
Loss Contingency, Estimate of Possible Loss | 0 | 0 |
Minimum [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Financial Standby Letter of Credit [Member] |  |  |
Environmental Contingencies |  |  |
Loss Contingency, Estimate of Possible Loss | 0 | 0 |
Minimum [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Surety Bond |  |  |
Environmental Contingencies |  |  |
Loss Contingency, Estimate of Possible Loss | 1 | $ 1 |
Maximum [Member] | Standby Letters of Credit [Member] |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |
Line of Credit Facility, Unused Capacity, Commitment Fee Percentage |  | 3.00% |
Maximum [Member] | Environmental Remediation Contingency [Domain] |  |  |
Environmental Contingencies |  |  |
Loss Contingency, Estimate of Possible Loss | 12 | $ 12 |
Maximum [Member] | Guarantee Obligations [Member] |  |  |
Environmental Contingencies |  |  |
Loss Contingency, Estimate of Possible Loss | 157 | 157 |
Maximum [Member] | Litigation |  |  |
Environmental Contingencies |  |  |
Loss Contingency, Estimate of Possible Loss | 933 | 933 |
Maximum [Member] | Unsecured Debt [Member] | Financial Standby Letter of Credit [Member] |  |  |
Environmental Contingencies |  |  |
Loss Contingency, Estimate of Possible Loss | 56 | 56 |
Maximum [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Financial Standby Letter of Credit [Member] |  |  |
Environmental Contingencies |  |  |
Loss Contingency, Estimate of Possible Loss | 62 | 62 |
Maximum [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Surety Bond |  |  |
Environmental Contingencies |  |  |
Loss Contingency, Estimate of Possible Loss | $ 1 | $ 1 |

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