EXHIBIT 23.1


INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' CONSENT

We  consent  to  the   incorporation  by  reference  in  The  AES  Corporation's
Registration  Statement  No.  33-44498 on Form S-8,  Registration  Statement No.
33-49262  on Form  S-8,  Registration  Statement  No.  333-26225  on  Form  S-8,
Registration  Statement No.  333-28883 on Form S-8,  Registration  Statement No.
333-28885 on Form S-8,  Registration  Statement  No.  333-33585 on Form S-8, and
Registration  Statement No. 33-95046 on Form S-3 of our report dated January 30,
1997,  except for the  penultimate  paragraph of Note 6, as to which the date is
March 13, 1997, the pre-penultimate paragraph of Note 6, as to which the date is
August 8, 1997, the subsequent  event  paragraph of Note 7, as to which the date
is July 15,  1997,  and  Note 13,  as to which  the date is  October  27,  1997,
appearing in this Current Report on Form 8-K of The AES Corporation for the year
ended December 31, 1996.


Washington, DC
November 5, 1997