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Commitments and Contingencies (Schedules of Future Minimum Rental Payments) (Details) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Dec. 31, 2014
Land and Other Operating Leases [Member]  
Operating Leased Assets [Line Items]  
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due $ 277us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDue
/ cpn_OperatingLeaseAssetsAxis
= cpn_LandAndOtherOperatingLeasesMember
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due, Current 15us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueCurrent
/ cpn_OperatingLeaseAssetsAxis
= cpn_LandAndOtherOperatingLeasesMember
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due in Two Years 16us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInTwoYears
/ cpn_OperatingLeaseAssetsAxis
= cpn_LandAndOtherOperatingLeasesMember
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due in Three Years 15us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInThreeYears
/ cpn_OperatingLeaseAssetsAxis
= cpn_LandAndOtherOperatingLeasesMember
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due in Four Years 15us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInFourYears
/ cpn_OperatingLeaseAssetsAxis
= cpn_LandAndOtherOperatingLeasesMember
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due in Five Years 15us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInFiveYears
/ cpn_OperatingLeaseAssetsAxis
= cpn_LandAndOtherOperatingLeasesMember
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due Thereafter 201us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueThereafter
/ cpn_OperatingLeaseAssetsAxis
= cpn_LandAndOtherOperatingLeasesMember
Greenleaf [Member]  
Operating Leased Assets [Line Items]  
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due 4us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDue
/ cpn_OperatingLeaseAssetsAxis
= cpn_GreenleafMember
KIAC [Member]  
Operating Leased Assets [Line Items]  
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due 119us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDue
/ cpn_OperatingLeaseAssetsAxis
= cpn_KiacMember
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due, Current 23us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueCurrent
/ cpn_OperatingLeaseAssetsAxis
= cpn_KiacMember
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due in Two Years 22us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInTwoYears
/ cpn_OperatingLeaseAssetsAxis
= cpn_KiacMember
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due in Three Years 22us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInThreeYears
/ cpn_OperatingLeaseAssetsAxis
= cpn_KiacMember
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due in Four Years 22us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInFourYears
/ cpn_OperatingLeaseAssetsAxis
= cpn_KiacMember
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due in Five Years 30us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInFiveYears
/ cpn_OperatingLeaseAssetsAxis
= cpn_KiacMember
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due Thereafter 0us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueThereafter
/ cpn_OperatingLeaseAssetsAxis
= cpn_KiacMember
Total Power Plant Leases [Member]  
Operating Leased Assets [Line Items]  
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due 123us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDue
/ cpn_OperatingLeaseAssetsAxis
= us-gaap_ElectricGenerationEquipmentMember
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due, Current 27us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueCurrent
/ cpn_OperatingLeaseAssetsAxis
= us-gaap_ElectricGenerationEquipmentMember
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due in Two Years 22us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInTwoYears
/ cpn_OperatingLeaseAssetsAxis
= us-gaap_ElectricGenerationEquipmentMember
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due in Three Years 22us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInThreeYears
/ cpn_OperatingLeaseAssetsAxis
= us-gaap_ElectricGenerationEquipmentMember
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due in Four Years 22us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInFourYears
/ cpn_OperatingLeaseAssetsAxis
= us-gaap_ElectricGenerationEquipmentMember
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due in Five Years 30us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInFiveYears
/ cpn_OperatingLeaseAssetsAxis
= us-gaap_ElectricGenerationEquipmentMember
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due Thereafter 0us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueThereafter
/ cpn_OperatingLeaseAssetsAxis
= us-gaap_ElectricGenerationEquipmentMember
Operting Lease Assets Total [Member]  
Operating Leased Assets [Line Items]  
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due 400us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDue
/ cpn_OperatingLeaseAssetsAxis
= cpn_OpertingLeaseAssetsTotalMember
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due, Current 42us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueCurrent
/ cpn_OperatingLeaseAssetsAxis
= cpn_OpertingLeaseAssetsTotalMember
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due in Two Years 38us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInTwoYears
/ cpn_OperatingLeaseAssetsAxis
= cpn_OpertingLeaseAssetsTotalMember
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due in Three Years 37us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInThreeYears
/ cpn_OperatingLeaseAssetsAxis
= cpn_OpertingLeaseAssetsTotalMember
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due in Four Years 37us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInFourYears
/ cpn_OperatingLeaseAssetsAxis
= cpn_OpertingLeaseAssetsTotalMember
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due in Five Years 45us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInFiveYears
/ cpn_OperatingLeaseAssetsAxis
= cpn_OpertingLeaseAssetsTotalMember
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due Thereafter 201us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueThereafter
/ cpn_OperatingLeaseAssetsAxis
= cpn_OpertingLeaseAssetsTotalMember
Office Equipment [Member]  
Operating Leased Assets [Line Items]  
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due 55us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDue
/ cpn_OperatingLeaseAssetsAxis
= us-gaap_OfficeEquipmentMember
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due, Current 11us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueCurrent
/ cpn_OperatingLeaseAssetsAxis
= us-gaap_OfficeEquipmentMember
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due in Two Years 10us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInTwoYears
/ cpn_OperatingLeaseAssetsAxis
= us-gaap_OfficeEquipmentMember
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due in Three Years 9us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInThreeYears
/ cpn_OperatingLeaseAssetsAxis
= us-gaap_OfficeEquipmentMember
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due in Four Years 9us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInFourYears
/ cpn_OperatingLeaseAssetsAxis
= us-gaap_OfficeEquipmentMember
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due in Five Years 8us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInFiveYears
/ cpn_OperatingLeaseAssetsAxis
= us-gaap_OfficeEquipmentMember
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due Thereafter 8us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueThereafter
/ cpn_OperatingLeaseAssetsAxis
= us-gaap_OfficeEquipmentMember
Greenleaf [Member]  
Operating Leased Assets [Line Items]  
Guarantee Obligations Balance On First Anniversary 4cpn_GuaranteeObligationsBalanceOnFirstAnniversary
/ us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsByNatureAxis
= cpn_GreenleafMember		 [1]
Guarantee Obligations Balance On Second Anniversary 0cpn_GuaranteeObligationsBalanceOnSecondAnniversary
/ us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsByNatureAxis
= cpn_GreenleafMember		 [1]
Guarantee Obligations Balance On Third Anniversary 0cpn_GuaranteeObligationsBalanceOnThirdAnniversary
/ us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsByNatureAxis
= cpn_GreenleafMember		 [1]
Guarantee Obligations Balance On Fourth Anniversary 0cpn_GuaranteeObligationsBalanceOnFourthAnniversary
/ us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsByNatureAxis
= cpn_GreenleafMember		 [1]
Guarantee Obligations Balance On Fifth Anniversary 0cpn_GuaranteeObligationsBalanceOnFifthAnniversary
/ us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsByNatureAxis
= cpn_GreenleafMember		 [1]
Guarantee Obligations Due After Five Years 0cpn_GuaranteeObligationsDueAfterFiveYears
/ us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsByNatureAxis
= cpn_GreenleafMember		 [1]
Natural Gas [Member]  
Operating Leased Assets [Line Items]  
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due 1,763us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDue
/ us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis
= us-gaap_NaturalGasReservesMember
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due, Current 390us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueCurrent
/ us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis
= us-gaap_NaturalGasReservesMember
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due in Two Years 297us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInTwoYears
/ us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis
= us-gaap_NaturalGasReservesMember
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due in Three Years 193us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInThreeYears
/ us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis
= us-gaap_NaturalGasReservesMember
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due in Four Years 152us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInFourYears
/ us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis
= us-gaap_NaturalGasReservesMember
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due in Five Years 109us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInFiveYears
/ us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis
= us-gaap_NaturalGasReservesMember
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due Thereafter $ 622us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueThereafter
/ us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis
= us-gaap_NaturalGasReservesMember
[1] These are contingent off balance sheet obligations.