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COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES - Contingencies (Details) ¥ in Thousands, $ in Thousands, € in Millions |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended |
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Mar. 03, 2017 | Oct. 19, 2015 CNY (¥) item | Oct. 19, 2015 USD ($) item | Jul. 14, 2015 | Jun. 03, 2015 ¥ / W | Jan. 21, 2015 | Nov. 07, 2012 | Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) | Jul. 31, 2016 | Jun. 30, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2012 CNY (¥) | Dec. 31, 2011 EUR (€) | Apr. 30, 2010 item | Jun. 30, 2008 item | Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2011 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2010 USD ($) item | Dec. 31, 2007 | Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Contingencies |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss contingency accruals |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 22,654 |  |  | $ 23,500 |  |  |  |  | $ 22,654 | $ 23,500 |  |  |  |
Class Action Lawsuits Filed in New York |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Contingencies |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of subpoenas | item |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 2 |  |
Number of lawsuits filed | item |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 6 |  |
Countervailing and anti-dumping duties investigation |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Contingencies |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Non-cash provision related to arbitration decision |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 44,100 |  |  |  |  |
Cash deposit rate for anti-dumping duty on CSPV cells imported from China (as a percent) |  |  |  | 9.67% |  | 30.06% | 13.94% | 30.42% |  | 8.52% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Cash deposit rate for countervailing duty on CSPV cells imported from China (as a percent) |  |  |  | 20.94% |  | 38.43% | 15.24% | 20.98% | 20.94% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Cash deposits for module imported from China |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 144,300 |  |  |  |  |
Cash deposit charged into cost of sales |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 132,200 |  |  |  |  |
Cash deposit charged into inventories |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 3,800 |  |  |  |  |
True up provision |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 44,100 |  |  |  |  |
Anti-dumping and countervailing measures period on CSPV modules and key components (i.e., cells) originating in or consigned from China | 18 months |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Canadian Solar-specific subsidies rate (RMB per Watt) | ¥ / W |  |  |  |  | 0.014 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Countervailing and anti-dumping duties investigation | Minimum |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Contingencies |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Cash deposit rate for anti-dumping duty on CSPV imported from Taiwan (as a percent) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 3.50% |  |  |  |  |
Countervailing and anti-dumping duties investigation | Maximum |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Contingencies |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Cash deposit rate for anti-dumping duty on CSPV imported from Taiwan (as a percent) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 4.20% |  |  |  |  |
Purchase commitment | Deutsche Solar AG |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Contingencies |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Period of supply agreement |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 12 years |
Amount not accrued due to take-or-pay provision of agreement which are void under the German law |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 21,144 |  |
Amount of damages that plaintiff can claim | € |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | € 148.6 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Reclassification of provision for accrued losses on firm purchase commitments reserve to loss contingency accrual |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 27,862 |  |  |
Amount of bad debts allowance against the balance of advance payments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 17,409 |  |  |
Loss contingency accruals |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 22,654 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 22,654 |  |  |  |  |
Purchase commitment | LDK |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Contingencies |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Period of supply agreement |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 3 years |
Amount of bad debts allowance against the balance of advance payments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 9,798
Number of long-term supply purchase agreements entered into by the Company | item |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 2 |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of long-term supply purchase agreements terminated by the Company | item |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 2 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Litigation settlement or awarded amount |  | ¥ 132,700 | $ 20,800 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | ¥ 248,900 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Arbitration expenses awarded to counterparty | ¥ |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | ¥ 2,320 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of silicon wafers committed to purchase | item |  | 64,300,000 | 64,300,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Period of purchase commitment |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 3 years |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Settlement paid and recognized as General and administrative expenses |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 20,800 |  |  |  |

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- Definition Represents the Canadian Solar-specific subsidies rate. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Represents the total cost of sales charge recorded for cash deposit for module imported from China. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Cash deposit charged into inventories + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Anti-dumping and Countervailing measures period on CSPV modules and key components (i.e., cells) originating in or consigned from China, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Represents the amount of bad debt allowances against the balance of advance payments as a result of the termination of the long-term supply contract. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Represents the cash deposit rate for anti-dumping duty on CSPV cells imported from China on or after a specified date. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Represents the cash deposit rate for anti-dumping duty on CSPV imported from Taiwan on or after a specified date. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Represents the cash deposit rate for countervailing duty on CSPV cells imported from China on or after a specified date. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Represents the number of long-term supply purchase agreements entered into by the entity during the reporting period. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Represents the payments for cash deposit on module imported from China by using the preliminary deposits rate determined by USITC (China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission). + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Number of units of goods that must be purchased within the specified time period of the agreement to avoid penalties or unfavorable effects on pricing, among other adverse consequences. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Period covered by the long-term purchase commitment, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table. + References No definition available. + Details
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