v2.4.0.8

Earnings (Loss) per Share (Tables) | 6 Months Ended
--- | ---
Jun. 30, 2013
Earnings (Loss) per Share [Abstract] |
Schedule of Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share | We excluded the following items from diluted loss per common share for the three and six months ended June 30, 2013 and 2012, because they were anti-dilutive (shares in thousands):
| Three Months Ended June 30, |  | Six Months Ended June 30,
| 2013 |  | 2012 |  | 2013 |  | 2012
Share-based awards | 10,002 |  |  | 13,920 |  |  | 9,741 |  |  | 15,236 |

X
- Details
Name: | cpn_EarningsLossPerShareAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | cpn_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Tabular disclosure of securities (including those issuable pursuant to contingent stock agreements) that could potentially dilute basic earnings per share (EPS) in the future that were not included in the computation of diluted EPS because to do so would increase EPS amounts or decrease loss per share amounts for the period presented, by antidilutive securities. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 260 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6371337&loc=d3e3550-109257 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ScheduleOfAntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration