v2.4.0.6

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Schedule of Components of Restricted Cash

The table below represents the components of our restricted cash as of December 31, 2011 and 2010 (in millions):

	2011												2010
	Current				Non-Current				Total				Current				Non-Current				Total
Debt service(1)	$	11			$	42			$	53			$	44			$	25			$	69
Rent reserve	—				—				—				22				5				27
Construction/major maintenance	33				10				43				35				14				49
Security/project/insurance	79				—				79				75				7				82
Other	16				3				19				19				2				21
Total	$	139			$	55			$	194			$	195			$	53			$	248

___________

(1) At both December 31, 2011 and 2010, debt service included approximately $25 million of repurchase agreements with a financial institution containing maturity dates greater than one year.

Schedule of Total Contractual Future Minimum Lease Receipts

act.

The total contractual future minimum lease receipts for these contracts are as follows (in millions

The following is a schedule by year of future minimum lease payments under capital leases and failed sale-leaseback transactions together with the present value of the net minimum lease payments as of December 31, 2011 (in millions):

	Sale-Leaseback Transactions(1)				Capital Lease				Total
2012	$	41			$	40			$	81
2013	38				38				76
2014	26				39				65
2015	25				37				62
2016	25				40				65
Thereafter	143				200				343
Total minimum lease payments	298				394				692
Less: Amount representing interest	110				170				280
Present value of net minimum lease payments	$	188			$	224			$	412

____________

(1) Amounts are accounted for as financing transactions under U.S. GAAP and are included in our project financing, notes payable and other amounts above.

X

- Details

Name:	cpn_SummaryOfSignificantAccountingPoliciesAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	cpn_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Tabular disclosure of future minimum lease payments as of the date of the latest balance sheet presented, in aggregate and for each of the five years succeeding fiscal years, with separate deductions from the total for the amount representing executor costs, including any profit thereon, included in the minimum lease payments and for the amount of the imputed interest necessary to reduce the net minimum lease payments to present value.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Topic 840

-SubTopic 30

-Publisher FASB

-Number

-Article

-Subparagraph (b)

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Paragraph 1

-Section 50

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6455398&loc=d3e45280-112737

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ScheduleOfFutureMinimumLeasePaymentsForCapitalLeasesTableTextBlock
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Tabular disclosure of the cash and cash items which are restricted as to withdrawal or usage. The provisions of any restrictions are described in a note to the financial statements. Restrictions may include legally restricted deposits held as compensating balances against short-term borrowing arrangements, contracts entered into with others, or entity statements of intention with regard to particular deposits; however, time deposits and short-term certificates of deposit are not generally included in legally restricted deposits.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682



Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 95

-Paragraph 8, 9

-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 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 1

-Article 5



Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Cash Equivalents

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6507016

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ScheduleOfRestrictedCashAndCashEquivalentsTextBlock
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration