v2.4.0.6

Schedule of Valuation and Qualifying Accounts Disclosure | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2011
Valuation and Qualifying Accounts [Abstract] |
Schedule of Valuation and Qualifying Accounts Disclosure | CALPINE CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES SCHEDULE II VALUATION AND QUALIFYING ACCOUNTS
Description | Balance at Beginning of Year |  | Charged to Expense |  | Charged to Other Accounts |  | Deductions(1) |  | Balance at End of Year
| (in millions)
Year ended December 31, 2011 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Allowance for doubtful accounts | $ | 2 |  |  | $ | 7 |  |  | $ | 4 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 13 |
Deferred tax asset valuation allowance | 2,386 |  |  | (50 | ) |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 2,336 |
Year ended December 31, 2010 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Allowance for doubtful accounts | $ | 14 |  |  | $ | (12 | ) |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 2 |
Deferred tax asset valuation allowance | 2,572 |  |  | (186 | ) |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 2,386 |
Year ended December 31, 2009 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Allowance for doubtful accounts | $ | 42 |  |  | $ | 2 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | (30 | ) |  | $ | 14 |
Deferred tax asset valuation allowance | 2,685 |  |  | (113 | ) |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 2,572 |
_____________
(1) | Represents write-offs of accounts considered to be uncollectible and previously reserved.

X
- Definition The entire disclosure for any allowance and reserve accounts (their beginning and ending balances, as well as a reconciliation by type of activity during the period). Alternatively, disclosure of the required information may be within the footnotes to the financial statements or a supplemental schedule to the financial statements. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 09 -Article 12 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6881521&loc=d3e24092-122690 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ScheduleOfValuationAndQualifyingAccountsDisclosureTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_ValuationAndQualifyingAccountsAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration