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Debt (Debt Textuals) (Details) (USD $)
 3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Mar. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2014
Debt Instrument [Line Items]      
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Percentage 5.50%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateEffectivePercentage 6.20%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateEffectivePercentage  
Long-term Debt $ 11,619,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt   $ 11,122,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt
Gains (Losses) on Extinguishment of Debt (19,000,000)us-gaap_GainsLossesOnExtinguishmentOfDebt (1,000,000)us-gaap_GainsLossesOnExtinguishmentOfDebt  
Senior Unsecured Notes 2024 [Member]      
Debt Instrument [Line Items]      
Debt Instrument, Face Amount 650,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cpn_SeniorUnsecuredNotes2024Member		    
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage 5.50%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cpn_SeniorUnsecuredNotes2024Member		    
Long-term Debt 650,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cpn_SeniorUnsecuredNotes2024Member		   0us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cpn_SeniorUnsecuredNotes2024Member
Deferred Finance Costs, Net 9,000,000us-gaap_DeferredFinanceCostsNet
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cpn_SeniorUnsecuredNotes2024Member		    
First Lien Notes 2023 [Member]      
Debt Instrument [Line Items]      
Long-term Debt 693,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cpn_FirstLienNotes2023Member		 [1]   840,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cpn_FirstLienNotes2023Member		 [1]
Gains (Losses) on Extinguishment of Debt (19,000,000)us-gaap_GainsLossesOnExtinguishmentOfDebt
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cpn_FirstLienNotes2023Member		    
Early Redemption Amount [Member] | First Lien Notes 2023 [Member]      
Debt Instrument [Line Items]      
Long-term Debt $ 147,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= cpn_EarlyRedemptionAmountMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cpn_FirstLienNotes2023Member		    
[1] On February 3, 2015, we repurchased approximately $147 million of our 2023 First Lien Notes with the proceeds from our 2024 Senior Unsecured Notes, which is described in further detail above.