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Quarterly Consolidated Financial Data (unaudited) | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2011
Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract] |
Quarterly Consolidated Financial Data (unaudited) | Quarterly Consolidated Financial Data (unaudited) Our quarterly operating results have fluctuated in the past and may continue to do so in the future as a result of a number of factors, including, but not limited to, our restructuring activities (including asset sales), the completion of development projects, the timing and amount of curtailment of operations under the terms of certain PPAs, the degree of risk management and marketing, hedging and optimization activities, energy commodity market prices and variations in levels of production. Furthermore, the majority of the dollar value of capacity payments under certain of our PPAs are received during the months of May through October.
| Quarter Ended
| December 31 |  | September 30 |  | June 30 |  | March 31
| (in millions, except per share amounts)
2011 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Operating revenues | $ | 1,459 |  |  | $ | 2,209 |  |  | $ | 1,633 |  |  | $ | 1,499 |
Income from operations | 196 |  |  | 403 |  |  | 183 |  |  | 18 |
Income (loss) before discontinued operations attributable to Calpine | $ | (13 | ) |  | $ | 190 |  |  | $ | (70 | ) |  | $ | (297 | )
Discontinued operations, net of tax expense, attributable to Calpine | — |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | — |
Net income (loss) attributable to Calpine | $ | (13 | ) |  | $ | 190 |  |  | $ | (70 | ) |  | $ | (297 | )
Basic earnings (loss) per common share: |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income (loss) before discontinued operations attributable to Calpine | $ | (0.03 | ) |  | $ | 0.39 |  |  | $ | (0.14 | ) |  | $ | (0.61 | )
Discontinued operations, net of tax expense, attributable to Calpine | — |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | — |
Net income (loss) attributable to Calpine | $ | (0.03 | ) |  | $ | 0.39 |  |  | $ | (0.14 | ) |  | $ | (0.61 | )
Diluted earnings (loss) per common share: |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income (loss) before discontinued operations attributable to Calpine | $ | (0.03 | ) |  | $ | 0.39 |  |  | $ | (0.14 | ) |  | $ | (0.61 | )
Discontinued operations, net of tax expense, attributable to Calpine | — |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | — |
Net income (loss) attributable to Calpine | $ | (0.03 | ) |  | $ | 0.39 |  |  | $ | (0.14 | ) |  | $ | (0.61 | )
2010 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Operating revenues | $ | 1,471 |  |  | $ | 2,130 |  |  | $ | 1,430 |  |  | $ | 1,514 |
Income from operations | 89 |  |  | 554 |  |  | 108 |  |  | 150 |
Income (loss) before discontinued operations attributable to Calpine | $ | (186 | ) |  | $ | 198 |  |  | $ | (119 | ) |  | $ | (55 | )
Discontinued operations, net of tax expense, attributable to Calpine | 162 |  |  | 19 |  |  | 4 |  |  | 8 |
Net income (loss) attributable to Calpine | $ | (24 | ) |  | $ | 217 |  |  | $ | (115 | ) |  | $ | (47 | )
Basic earnings (loss) per common share: |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income (loss) before discontinued operations attributable to Calpine | $ | (0.38 | ) |  | $ | 0.41 |  |  | $ | (0.25 | ) |  | $ | (0.11 | )
Discontinued operations, net of tax expense, attributable to Calpine | 0.33 |  |  | 0.04 |  |  | 0.01 |  |  | 0.01 |
Net income (loss) attributable to Calpine | $ | (0.05 | ) |  | $ | 0.45 |  |  | $ | (0.24 | ) |  | $ | (0.10 | )
Diluted earnings (loss) per common share: |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income (loss) before discontinued operations attributable to Calpine | $ | (0.38 | ) |  | $ | 0.41 |  |  | $ | (0.25 | ) |  | $ | (0.11 | )
Discontinued operations, net of tax expense, attributable to Calpine | 0.33 |  |  | 0.04 |  |  | 0.01 |  |  | 0.01 |
Net income (loss) attributable to Calpine | $ | (0.05 | ) |  | $ | 0.45 |  |  | $ | (0.24 | ) |  | $ | (0.10 | )

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- Definition The entire disclosure for the quarterly financial data in the annual financial statements. The disclosure may include a tabular presentation of financial information for each fiscal quarter for the current and previous year, including revenues, gross profit, income or loss before extraordinary items and earnings per share data. It also includes an indication if the information in the note is unaudited, comments on the aggregate effect of year-end adjustments, and an explanation of matters or transactions that affect comparability or are pertinent to an understanding of the information furnished. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) -Number Topic 6 -Section G -Subsection 1 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 270 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 12 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6372559&loc=d3e725-108305 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher AICPA -Name Accounting Principles Board Opinion (APB) -Number 28 -Paragraph 23, 24 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 270 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 13 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6372559&loc=d3e765-108305 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher AICPA -Name Accounting Principles Board Opinion (APB) -Number 28 -Paragraph 30 -Subparagraph a-j -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-K (SK) -Number 229 -Section 302 -Paragraph a Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 270 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (a)-(j) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6952194&loc=d3e1280-108306 + Details
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