Buildings, machinery and equipment, gross

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- Definition

Geothermal Properties, Gross

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross, Less Accumulated Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Property, Plant, and Equipment

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Amount of accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization for physical assets used in the normal conduct of business to produce goods and services.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 360

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (c)

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

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-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

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-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 14

-Article 5

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- Definition

Amount of structure or a modification to a structure under construction. Includes recently completed structures or modifications to structures that have not been placed into service.

+ References

+ Details

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- Definition

Amount of interest capitalized during the period.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Allowance for Funds Used during Construction

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6504829

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6450988&loc=d3e26243-108391

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- Definition

Amount before accumulated depletion of real estate held for productive use, excluding land held for sale.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 4

-Subparagraph (e)

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-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.13)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

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- Definition

Amount before accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization of physical assets used in the normal conduct of business and not intended for resale. Examples include, but are not limited to, land, buildings, machinery and equipment, office equipment, and furniture and fixtures.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 360

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (b)

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-Topic 210

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-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.13)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

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- Definition

Amount after accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization of physical assets used in the normal conduct of business to produce goods and services and not intended for resale. Examples include, but are not limited to, land, buildings, machinery and equipment, office equipment, and furniture and fixtures.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 360

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6391035&loc=d3e2868-110229

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-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 13

-Subparagraph a

-Article 5

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-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 8

-Article 7

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- Definition

Amount before accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization of other physical assets used in the normal conduct of business to produce goods and services and not intended for resale.

+ References

+ Details

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- Definition

Useful life of long lived, physical assets used in the normal conduct of business and not intended for resale, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days. Examples include, but not limited to, land, buildings, machinery and equipment, office equipment, furniture and fixtures, and computer equipment.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Property, Plant and Equipment, Net (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Buildings, machinery and equipment	$ 16,059cpn_BuildingsMachineryAndEquipmentGross	$ 15,838cpn_BuildingsMachineryAndEquipmentGross
Geothermal properties	1,294cpn_GeothermalPropertiesGross	1,265cpn_GeothermalPropertiesGross
Other	203us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentOther	164us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentOther
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross	17,556us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross	17,267us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
Less: Accumulated depreciation	4,984	4,897
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross, Less Accumulated Depreciation	12,572	12,370
Land	120us-gaap_Land	103us-gaap_Land
Construction in progress	498us-gaap_ConstructionInProgressGross	522us-gaap_ConstructionInProgressGross
Property, plant and equipment, net	13,190us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet	12,995us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
Interest Costs, Capitalized During Period	$ 19us-gaap_InterestCostsCapitalized	$ 38us-gaap_InterestCostsCapitalized	$ 38us-gaap_InterestCostsCapitalized
Building, Machinery and Equipment, Gross [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives	3 years
Building, Machinery and Equipment, Gross [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives	47 years
Geothermal Properties, Gross [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives	13 years
Geothermal Properties, Gross [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives	59 years
Property, Plant and Equipment, Other Types [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives	3 years
Property, Plant and Equipment, Other Types [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives	47 years