CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income (loss)	$ 112,494us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	$ (40,313)us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	$ (35,610)us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:
Unrealized net loss (gain) on forward contracts	0	(1,170)	2,987
Gain on bargain purchase	0	(5,253)	0
Gain on fair value of contingent consideration	(7,943)	0	0
Gain on remeasurement of equity investment	(1,318)	0	0
Unrealized gain on E.ON contingent obligation	(1,412)cenx_UnrealizedGainLossOnEOnObligation	(16,781)cenx_UnrealizedGainLossOnEOnObligation	0cenx_UnrealizedGainLossOnEOnObligation
Accrued and other plant curtailment costs — net	4,350cenx_PaymentsForCurtailment	4,452cenx_PaymentsForCurtailment	5,251cenx_PaymentsForCurtailment
Lower of cost or market inventory adjustment	(1,247)us-gaap_InventoryWriteDown	1,247us-gaap_InventoryWriteDown	(19,818)us-gaap_InventoryWriteDown
Depreciation	70,731	66,570	62,570
Sebree power contract amortization	(5,534)cenx_AmortizationofAssumedPowerContract	(31,031)cenx_AmortizationofAssumedPowerContract	0cenx_AmortizationofAssumedPowerContract
Debt discount amortization	361	672	1,069
Pension and other postretirement benefits	6,939	1,740	3,129
Deferred income taxes	2,633	(1,493)	1,529
Stock-based compensation	1,334us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensation	1,078us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensation	613us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensation
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	0	3,272	0
Equity in earnings of joint ventures, net of dividends	425	871	(2,623)
Change in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable — net	(19,981)	(6,001)	(2,537)
Due from affiliates	12,084	(5,717)	2,202
Inventories	(16,513)us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInInventories	(21,740)us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInInventories	31,854us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInInventories
Prepaid and other current assets	3,392	5,318	4,946
Accounts payable, trade	11,797	25,224	(12,114)
Due to affiliates	3,058	13,845	(2,167)
Accrued and other current liabilities	18,071	5,834	(5,746)
Other — net	2,690	19,094	1,604
Net cash provided by operating activities	196,411	19,718	37,139
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Purchase of property, plant and equipment	(41,559)	(46,533)	(17,677)
Nordural expansion — Helguvik	(337)us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireProjects	(3,331)us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireProjects	(7,317)us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireProjects
Purchase of carbon anode assets and improvements	(13,230)cenx_PaymentsToAcquireCarbonAnodeAssets	(18,213)cenx_PaymentsToAcquireCarbonAnodeAssets	(13,814)cenx_PaymentsToAcquireCarbonAnodeAssets
Purchase of Sebree smelter	(1,042)	(48,058)	0
Investments in and advances to joint ventures	0	(125)	(275)
Payments received from joint ventures	0	0	6,622
Purchase of remaining interest in Mt. Holly smelter	(53,831)	0	0
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment	46	525	188
Restricted and other cash deposits	896	(1,439)	(258)
Net cash used in investing activities	(109,057)	(117,174)	(32,531)
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Repayment of debt	(2,603)us-gaap_RepaymentsOfDebt	(249,604)us-gaap_RepaymentsOfDebt	0us-gaap_RepaymentsOfDebt
Proceeds from issuance of debt	0	246,330	0
Borrowings under revolving credit facilities	92,423us-gaap_ProceedsFromLinesOfCredit	22,725us-gaap_ProceedsFromLinesOfCredit	18,076us-gaap_ProceedsFromLinesOfCredit
Repayments under revolving credit facilities	(98,423)us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLinesOfCredit	(16,725)us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLinesOfCredit	(18,076)us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLinesOfCredit
Debt issuance costs	0us-gaap_PaymentsOfDebtIssuanceCosts	(3,994)us-gaap_PaymentsOfDebtIssuanceCosts	0us-gaap_PaymentsOfDebtIssuanceCosts
Debt retirement costs	0	(1,208)	0
Repurchase of common stock	0	0	(4,033)
Issuance of common stock	403	44	0
Net cash used in financing activities	(8,200)	(2,432)	(4,033)
CHANGE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS	79,154	(99,888)	575
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of year	84,088	183,976	183,401
Cash and cash equivalents, end of year	$ 163,242	$ 84,088	$ 183,976

The aggregate benefit recognized in earnings to allocate the assumed power contract liability in a systematic and rational manner over the contract period. As a noncash benefit, this element is subtracted from net income when calculating cash provided by or used in operations using the indirect method.

No definition available.