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Capital Structure | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2011
Capital Structure [Abstract] |
Capital Structure | Capital Structure Common Stock Pursuant to our Plan of Reorganization, all shares of our common stock outstanding prior to the Effective Date were canceled and the issuance of 485 million new shares of reorganized Calpine Corporation common stock was authorized to resolve allowed unsecured claims. A portion of the 485 million authorized shares was immediately distributed, and the remainder was reserved for distribution to holders of certain disputed claims that, although allowed as of the Effective Date, were unresolved. In June 2011, we settled the largest remaining claim outstanding and began the process of distributing the balance of the reserved shares, which was completed during the third quarter of 2011, pursuant to our Plan of Reorganization. Our authorized common stock consists of 1.4 billion shares of Calpine Corporation common stock. Common stock issued as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, was 490,468,815 shares and 444,883,356 shares, respectively, at a par value of $0.001 per share. Common stock outstanding as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, was 481,743,738 shares and 444,435,198 shares, respectively. The table below summarizes our common stock activity for the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009.
| Shares Issued |  | Shares Held in Treasury |  | Shares Held in Reserve |  | Inter- Creditor Disputes |  | Total
Balance, December 31, 2008 | 429,025,057 |  |  | (65,032 | ) |  | 48,162,203 |  |  | 9,752,261 |  |  | 486,874,489 |
Resolution of claims/inter-creditor disputes | 13,167,420 |  |  | — |  |  | (3,415,159 | ) |  | (9,752,261 | ) |  | — |
Shares issued under Calpine Equity Incentive Plans | 1,133,350 |  |  | (262,540 | ) |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 870,810 |
Balance, December 31, 2009 | 443,325,827 |  |  | (327,572 | ) |  | 44,747,044 |  |  | — |  |  | 487,745,299 |
Resolution of claims | 488,612 |  |  | — |  |  | (488,612 | ) |  | — |  |  | — |
Shares issued under Calpine Equity Incentive Plans | 1,068,917 |  |  | (120,586 | ) |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 948,331 |
Balance, December 31, 2010 | 444,883,356 |  |  | (448,158 | ) |  | 44,258,432 |  |  | — |  |  | 488,693,630 |
Resolution of claims | 44,258,432 |  |  | — |  |  | (44,258,432 | ) |  | — |  |  | — |
Shares issued under Calpine Equity Incentive Plans | 1,327,027 |  |  | (139,846 | ) |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 1,187,181 |
Share repurchase program | — |  |  | (8,137,073 | ) |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | (8,137,073 | )
Balance, December 31, 2011 | 490,468,815 |  |  | (8,725,077 | ) |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 481,743,738 |
Treasury Stock As of December 31, 2011 and 2010, we had treasury stock of 8,725,077 shares and 448,158 shares, respectively, with a cost of $125 million and $5 million, respectively. On August 23, 2011, we announced that our Board of Directors had authorized the repurchase of up to $300 million in shares of our common stock. The announced share repurchase program did not specify an expiration date. The repurchases may be commenced or suspended from time to time without prior notice. Through the filing of this Report, a total of 8,524,576 shares of our outstanding common stock have been repurchased under this program for approximately $124 million at an average price paid of $14.60 per share. Our treasury stock also consists of our common stock withheld to satisfy federal, state and local income tax withholding requirements for vested employee restricted stock awards.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for shareholders' equity, comprised of portions attributable to the parent entity and noncontrolling interest, if any, including other comprehensive income (as applicable). Including, but not limited to: (1) balances of common stock, preferred stock, additional paid-in capital, other capital and retained earnings; (2) accumulated balance for each classification of other comprehensive income and total amount of comprehensive income; (3) amount and nature of changes in separate accounts, including the number of shares authorized and outstanding, number of shares issued upon exercise and conversion, and for other comprehensive income, the adjustments for reclassifications to net income; (4) rights and privileges of each class of stock authorized; (5) basis of treasury stock, if other than cost, and amounts paid and accounting treatment for treasury stock purchased significantly in excess of market; (6) dividends paid or payable per share and in the aggregate for each class of stock for each period presented; (7) dividend restrictions and accumulated preferred dividends in arrears (in aggregate and per share amount); (8) retained earnings appropriations or restrictions, such as dividend restrictions; (9) impact of change in accounting principle, initial adoption of new accounting principle and correction of an error in previously issued financial statements; (10) shares held in trust for Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP); (11) deferred compensation related to issuance of capital stock; (12) note received for issuance of stock; (13) unamortized discount on shares; (14) description, terms, and number of warrants or rights outstanding; (15) shares under subscription and subscription receivables, effective date of new retained earnings after quasi-reorganization and deficit eliminated by quasi-reorganization and, for a period of at least ten years after the effective date, the point in time from which the new retained dates; and (16) retroactive effective of subsequent change in capital structure. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 04 -Article 3 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 29, 30, 31 -Article 5 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SAB TOPIC 4.E) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6228006&loc=d3e74512-122707 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 505 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6928386&loc=d3e21484-112644 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 505 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (SAB TOPIC 4.C) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6959260&loc=d3e187143-122770 Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 129 -Paragraph 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. 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