Exhibit 24

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

         The undersigned,  acting in the capacity or capacities  stated opposite
their respective names below, hereby severally  constitute and appoint DENNIS W.
BAKKE,  BARRY J. SHARP and WILLIAM R. LURASCHI and each of them  severally,  the
attorneys-in-fact of the undersigned with full power to them and each of them to
approve  and  sign  for and in the  name of the  undersigned  in the  capacities
indicated  below the  Registration  Statement  on Form S-8 relating to shares of
Common  Stock,  par value $.01 per  share,  of The AES  Corporation,  a Delaware
corporation  ("AES"),  issuable or deliverable  upon exercise of options granted
under  The  AES  Corporation  1991  Incentive  Stock  Option  Plan,  any and all
exhibits, amendments and supplements thereto, and any other documents necessary,
appropriate or desirable in connection therewith, and to file the same and to do
and perform each and every act and thing necessary,  appropriate or desirable in
connection therewith.

         This Power of Attorney may be executed in counterparts,  which together
shall constitute one and the same instrument.

     Signature                     Position with AES                Date
     ---------                     -----------------                ----
/s/  Roger W. Sant               Chairman of the Board        November 11, 1996
- ---------------------------          and Director
Roger W. Sant

/s/ Dennis W. Bakke                    President,             November 11, 1996
- ---------------------------         Chief Executive
Dennis W. Bakke                  Officer and Director
                             (Principal Executive Officer)

/s/ Vicki-Ann Assevero              Director                  November 11, 1996
- ---------------------------
Vicki-Ann Assevero

/s/ Alice F. Emerson                Director                  November 11, 1996
- ---------------------------
Dr. Alice F. Emerson

/s/ Robert F. Hemphill, Jr          Director                  November 11, 1996
- ---------------------------
Robert F. Hemphill Jr..

/s/ Frank Jungers                   Director                  November 11, 1996
- ---------------------------
Frank Jungers

/s/ Dr. Henry R. Linden             Director                  November 11, 1996
- ---------------------------
Dr. Henry R. Linden

/s/ Russell E. Train                Director                  November 11, 1996
- ---------------------------
Russell E. Train

/s/ Thomas I. Unterberg             Director                  November 11, 1996
- ---------------------------
Thomas I. Unterberg

/s/ Robert H. Waterman, Jr.         Director                  November 11, 1996
- ---------------------------
Robert H. Waterman, Jr.

/s/ Barry J. Sharp                Vice President and          November 11, 1996
- ---------------------------    Chief Financial Officer
Barry J. Sharp                 (Principal Financial and
                                  Accounting Officer)