XML 92 R71.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.21.1

Contingencies and Commitments - Loss Contingencies (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions | 3 Months Ended
--- | ---
Mar. 31, 2021 | Dec. 31, 2020
Environmental Contingencies |  |
Liability recorded for projected environmental remediation costs | $ 5 | $ 5
AES Tiete [Domain] |  |
Litigation Contingencies |  |
Reversal of Cost of Goods | 6 | 184
AES Tiete [Domain] | Compensation from Concession Agreement |  |
Litigation Contingencies |  |
Other Intangible Assets, Net | $ 190 | 184
AES Tiete [Domain] | Compensation from Concession Agreement |  |
Litigation Contingencies |  |
Deferred Compensation Arrangement with Individual, Requisite Service Period | 2 years 8 months 12 days |
Litigation [Member] |  |
Litigation Contingencies |  |
Aggregate reserves for claims deemed both probable and reasonably estimable | $ 27 | $ 28
Maximum [Member] | Litigation [Member] |  |
Environmental Contingencies |  |
Loss Contingency, Estimate of Possible Loss | 940 |
Maximum [Member] | Environmental Issue |  |
Environmental Contingencies |  |
Loss Contingency, Estimate of Possible Loss | 11 |
Minimum [Member] | Litigation [Member] |  |
Environmental Contingencies |  |
Loss Contingency, Estimate of Possible Loss | $ 253 |

X
- Definition Reversal of Cost of Goods + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | aes_ReversalOfCostOfGoods
Namespace Prefix: | aes_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

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
- References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_AccrualForEnvironmentalLossContingenciesDisclosureAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Minimum period the individual is required to perform services to be fully vested under the deferred compensation arrangement, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 710 -SubTopic 10 -Section 55 -Paragraph 7 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6409961&loc=d3e20487-108367 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 718 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (a)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120381028&loc=d3e5070-113901 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualRequisiteServicePeriod1
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_LossContingencyAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
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=124440162&loc=d3e12021-110248 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_LossContingencyEstimateOfPossibleLoss
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount after accumulated amortization of finite-lived and indefinite-lived intangible assets classified as other. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_OtherIntangibleAssetsNet
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Details
Name: | dei_LegalEntityAxis=aes_AESTieteDomain
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis=aes_CompensationFromConcessionAgreementMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis=aes_CompensationFromConcessionAgreementMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis=aes_LitigationMember
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_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis=us-gaap_EnvironmentalIssueMember
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: |