Accelerated Amortization of Acquisition Costs

No definition available.

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- Definition

Deferred Advertising Costs, Current

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Weighted average amortization period of finite-lived intangible assets acquired either individually or as part of a group of assets, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 30

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (a)(3)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26713463&loc=d3e16265-109275

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- Definition

The costs of direct-response advertising whose primary purpose is to elicit sales to customers who could be shown to have responded specifically to the advertising and that results in probable future benefits and are reported as assets net of accumulated amortization.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 17

-Article 5

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 340

-SubTopic 20

-Section 45

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6387490&loc=d3e8220-108328

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 340

-SubTopic 20

-Section 25

-Paragraph 4

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=47804149&loc=d3e7352-108325

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- Definition

Amount after amortization of assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance with a finite life.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 30

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (a)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26713463&loc=d3e16323-109275

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- Definition

Useful life of finite-lived intangible assets, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

The amount of impairment loss recognized in the period resulting from the write-down of the carrying amount of a finite-lived intangible asset to fair value.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 30

-Section 50

-Paragraph 3

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26713463&loc=d3e16373-109275

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Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Customer Acquisition Costs (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended			3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2014
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Customer acquisition costs, current	$ 12,369,000spke_DeferredAdvertisingCostsCurrent	$ 4,775,000spke_DeferredAdvertisingCostsCurrent		$ 12,369,000spke_DeferredAdvertisingCostsCurrent
Customer acquisition costs, noncurrent	2,976,000us-gaap_DeferredAdvertisingCosts	2,901,000us-gaap_DeferredAdvertisingCosts		2,976,000us-gaap_DeferredAdvertisingCosts
Amortization of customer acquisition costs	18,500,000	10,100,000	16,400,000
Impairment charges associated with capitalized customer acquisition costs	0	0	0
Capitalized Direct Advertising Costs
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Average useful life	2 years
Customer Contracts
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Intangible assets - customer acquisitions	1,500,000			1,500,000
Amortization period	3 years			3 years
California
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Amortization of customer acquisition costs	6,500,000
Massachusetts
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Amortization of customer acquisition costs	$ 200,000