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Fair Value (Nonrecurring Measurements) (Details) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2021 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2020 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2020 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2021 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2020 USD ($)
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Other Asset Impairment Charges	$ 29	$ 849		$ 1,374	$ 855
AES Puerto Rico
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring	73			73
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | OPGC [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Other Asset Impairment Charges			$ 43		158
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | AES Hawaii
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Other Asset Impairment Charges					38
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | AES Panama
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Other Asset Impairment Charges				11	30
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | AES Puerto Rico
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Other Asset Impairment Charges				475
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Mountain View Power Partners
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Other Asset Impairment Charges	0	0		67	0
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Ventanas [Domain]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Other Asset Impairment Charges	0	213		0	213
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Angamos [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Other Asset Impairment Charges	0	564		155	564
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Ventanas 3 & 4
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Other Asset Impairment Charges	0	0		649	0
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Fair Value [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring	171			171
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Fair Value [Member] | OPGC [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring		272	195		272
Cumulative Translation Adjustment, Net of Tax, Period Increase (Decrease)			115		114
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Fair Value [Member] | OPGC [Member] | Level 1 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring		0	0		0
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Fair Value [Member] | OPGC [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring		104	0		104
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Fair Value [Member] | OPGC [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring		0	$ 152		0
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Fair Value [Member] | AES Hawaii
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring		114			114
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Fair Value [Member] | AES Hawaii | Level 1 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring		0			0
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Fair Value [Member] | AES Hawaii | Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring		0			0
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Fair Value [Member] | AES Hawaii | Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring		76			76
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Fair Value [Member] | AES Panama
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring	17	44		17	44
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Fair Value [Member] | AES Panama | Level 1 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring	0	0		0	0
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Fair Value [Member] | AES Panama | Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring	6	0		6	0
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Fair Value [Member] | AES Panama | Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring	0	14		0	14
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Fair Value [Member] | AES Puerto Rico
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring	548			548
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Fair Value [Member] | AES Puerto Rico | Level 1 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring	0			0
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Fair Value [Member] | AES Puerto Rico | Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring	0			0
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Fair Value [Member] | AES Puerto Rico | Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring	73			73
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Fair Value [Member] | Mountain View Power Partners
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring	78			78
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Fair Value [Member] | Mountain View Power Partners | Level 1 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring	0			0
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Fair Value [Member] | Mountain View Power Partners | Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring	0			0
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Fair Value [Member] | Mountain View Power Partners | Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring	11			11
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Fair Value [Member] | Ventanas [Domain]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring		213			213
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Fair Value [Member] | Ventanas [Domain] | Level 1 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring		0			0
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Fair Value [Member] | Ventanas [Domain] | Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring		0			0
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Fair Value [Member] | Ventanas [Domain] | Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring	12	0		12	0
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Fair Value [Member] | Angamos [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring	241	870		241	870
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Fair Value [Member] | Angamos [Member] | Level 1 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring	0	0		0	0
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Fair Value [Member] | Angamos [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring	0	0		0	0
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Fair Value [Member] | Angamos [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring	86	$ 306		86	$ 306
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Fair Value [Member] | Ventanas 3 & 4
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring	661			661
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Fair Value [Member] | Ventanas 3 & 4 | Level 1 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring	0			0
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Fair Value [Member] | Ventanas 3 & 4 | Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring	0			0
Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Fair Value [Member] | Ventanas 3 & 4 | Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets Carrying Amount Disclosure Nonrecurring	$ 12			$ 12
Measurement Input, Long-term Revenue Growth Rate [Member] | Valuation, Income Approach [Member] | Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Weighted Average [Member] | Mountain View Power Partners
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring				(0.02%)
Measurement Input, Long-term Revenue Growth Rate [Member] | Valuation, Income Approach [Member] | Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Weighted Average [Member] | Ventanas [Domain]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring				2.00%
Measurement Input, Long-term Revenue Growth Rate [Member] | Valuation, Income Approach [Member] | Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Weighted Average [Member] | Angamos [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring				8.00%
Measurement Input, Long-term Revenue Growth Rate [Member] | Valuation, Income Approach [Member] | Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Maximum [Member] | AES Puerto Rico
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring				8.00%
Measurement Input, Long-term Revenue Growth Rate [Member] | Valuation, Income Approach [Member] | Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Mountain View Power Partners
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring				54.00%
Measurement Input, Long-term Revenue Growth Rate [Member] | Valuation, Income Approach [Member] | Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Ventanas [Domain]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring				23.00%
Measurement Input, Long-term Revenue Growth Rate [Member] | Valuation, Income Approach [Member] | Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Angamos [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring				58.00%
Measurement Input, Long-term Revenue Growth Rate [Member] | Valuation, Income Approach [Member] | Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Minimum [Member] | AES Puerto Rico
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring				(80.00%)
Measurement Input, Long-term Revenue Growth Rate [Member] | Valuation, Income Approach [Member] | Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Mountain View Power Partners
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring				(69.00%)
Measurement Input, Long-term Revenue Growth Rate [Member] | Valuation, Income Approach [Member] | Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Ventanas [Domain]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring				(18.00%)
Measurement Input, Long-term Revenue Growth Rate [Member] | Valuation, Income Approach [Member] | Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Angamos [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring				(8.00%)
Measurement Input, Discount Rate [Member] | Valuation, Income Approach [Member] | Weighted Average [Member] | AES Puerto Rico
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring				18.20%
Measurement Input, Discount Rate [Member] | Valuation, Income Approach [Member] | Weighted Average [Member] | Mountain View Power Partners
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring				7.50%
Measurement Input, Discount Rate [Member] | Valuation, Income Approach [Member] | Weighted Average [Member] | Ventanas [Domain]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring				11.00%
Measurement Input, Discount Rate [Member] | Valuation, Income Approach [Member] | Weighted Average [Member] | Angamos [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring				11.00%
Measurement Input, Variable Margin | Valuation, Income Approach [Member] | Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Weighted Average [Member] | Mountain View Power Partners
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring				45.99%
Measurement Input, Variable Margin | Valuation, Income Approach [Member] | Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Weighted Average [Member] | Ventanas [Domain]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring				6.00%
Measurement Input, Variable Margin | Valuation, Income Approach [Member] | Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Weighted Average [Member] | Angamos [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring				11.00%
Measurement Input, Variable Margin | Valuation, Income Approach [Member] | Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Maximum [Member] | AES Puerto Rico
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring				97.00%
Measurement Input, Variable Margin | Valuation, Income Approach [Member] | Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Mountain View Power Partners
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring				56.00%
Measurement Input, Variable Margin | Valuation, Income Approach [Member] | Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Ventanas [Domain]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring				21.00%
Measurement Input, Variable Margin | Valuation, Income Approach [Member] | Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Angamos [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring				53.00%
Measurement Input, Variable Margin | Valuation, Income Approach [Member] | Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Minimum [Member] | AES Puerto Rico
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring				37.00%
Measurement Input, Variable Margin | Valuation, Income Approach [Member] | Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Mountain View Power Partners
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring				(10.00%)
Measurement Input, Variable Margin | Valuation, Income Approach [Member] | Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Ventanas [Domain]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring				(5.00%)
Measurement Input, Variable Margin | Valuation, Income Approach [Member] | Long Lived Assets Held And Used [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Angamos [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring				(8.00%)
Interest Rate Contract [Member] | Measurement Input, Entity Credit Risk [Member] | Weighted Average [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring				3.40%
Interest Rate Contract [Member] | Measurement Input, Entity Credit Risk [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring				3.40%
Interest Rate Contract [Member] | Measurement Input, Entity Credit Risk [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring				0.60%
Cross currency derivatives [Member] | Measurement Input, Entity Credit Risk [Member] | Weighted Average [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring				3.40%
Cross currency derivatives [Member] | Measurement Input, Entity Credit Risk [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring				3.40%
Cross currency derivatives [Member] | Measurement Input, Entity Credit Risk [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value Measurement Inputs, Nonrecurring				3.40%
Foreign Exchange | Weighted Average [Member] | Argentina, Pesos
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Derivative, Forward Exchange Rate	293			293
Foreign Exchange | Maximum [Member] | Argentina, Pesos
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Derivative, Forward Exchange Rate	626			626
Foreign Exchange | Minimum [Member] | Argentina, Pesos
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Derivative, Forward Exchange Rate	100			100

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This element represents the aggregate carrying amount of the assets measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis by the entity before the recognition of impairment charges.

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The increase (decrease) in cumulative translation adjustment before transfers included in determining net income.

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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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- Definition

The charge against earnings resulting from the write down of long lived assets other than goodwill due to the difference between the carrying value and lower fair value.

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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 360
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
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-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
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