CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS

We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement (Form
S-3 No. 333-39857) and related Prospectuses of The AES Corporation of our report
dated  December 30, 1997 with respect to the  financial  statements of Companhia
Centro-Oeste de Energia Eletrica-CEEE-D2  (Fomerly Midwest Division of Companhia
Estadual de Energia  Eletrica-CEEE)  as at and for the  nine-month  period ended
September 30, 1997 prepared in accordance with accounting practices  originating
in  Brazil's  Corporation  Law,  which  appear  in Item 7 on Form 8-K of The AES
Corporation dated January 9, 1998.

Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil, January 6, 1998

Ernst & Young
Auditores Independentes S.C.
CRC-2-SP 15199/0-6/S/RS

/s/ Arnaldo C. Kurayama
Arnaldo C. Kurayama
Accountant CRC-SP 101151/S/RS