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Financial Statement Presentation New Accounting Pronouncement Adopted (Details) - USD ($) | 3 Months Ended |  |  |  |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Mar. 31, 2021 | Mar. 31, 2020 | Jan. 01, 2021 | Dec. 31, 2020 | Jan. 01, 2020 | Dec. 31, 2019
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value | $ 1,886,000,000 |  |  | $ 1,089,000,000 |  |
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, Current | 325,000,000 |  |  | 297,000,000 |  |
Debt service reserves and other deposits | 395,000,000 |  |  | 441,000,000 |  |
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents | 2,606,000,000 | $ 2,210,000,000 |  | 1,827,000,000 |  | $ 1,572,000,000
Accounts Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Current | 11,000,000 |  |  | 13,000,000 |  |
Accounts Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Writeoff | (3,000,000) | (1,000,000) |  |  |  |
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss | 8,000,000 |  |  | $ 9,000,000 |  |
Accounts and Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss | 59,000,000 | 68,000,000 | $ 62,000,000 |  | $ 68,000,000 |
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Period Increase (Decrease) | 1,000,000 | 3,000,000 |  |  |  |
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Foreign Currency Translation | (1,000,000) | (2,000,000) |  |  |  |
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts, Premiums and Other Receivables | 5,000,000 | 15,000,000 |  |  |  |
Accounts Receivable [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Accounts Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Current | 6,000,000 | 5,000,000 | 9,000,000 |  | 4,000,000 |
Accounts Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Period Increase (Decrease) | 0 | 2,000,000 |  |  |  |
Accounts Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Writeoff | (3,000,000) | (1,000,000) |  |  |  |
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Foreign Currency Translation | 0 | 0 |  |  |  |
Mong Duong Subsidiary [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss | 32,000,000 |  |  |  |  |
Accounts and Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss | 32,000,000 | 34,000,000 | 32,000,000 |  | 34,000,000 |
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Period Increase (Decrease) | 0 | 0 |  |  |  |
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Writeoff | 0 | 0 |  |  |  |
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Foreign Currency Translation | 0 | 0 |  |  |  |
AES Argentina [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss | 20,000,000 | 28,000,000 | 20,000,000 |  | 29,000,000 |
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Period Increase (Decrease) | 1,000,000 | 1,000,000 |  |  |  |
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Writeoff | 0 | 0 |  |  |  |
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Foreign Currency Translation | (1,000,000) | (2,000,000) |  |  |  |
Other Entity [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Accounts Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Period Increase (Decrease) | 0 | 0 |  |  |  |
Accounts Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Writeoff | 0 | 0 |  |  |  |
Accounts Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Noncurrent | 1,000,000 | 1,000,000 | $ 1,000,000 |  | $ 1,000,000 |
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Foreign Currency Translation | $ 0 | $ 0 |  |  |  |

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