Acquisition (Notes)	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2016
Business Combinations [Abstract]
Mergers, acquisitions and dispositions disclosures	Acquisitions and Divestitures Acquisition of Granite Ridge Energy Center On February 5, 2016, we, through our indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary Calpine Granite Holdings, LLC, completed the purchase of Granite Ridge Energy Center, a power plant with a nameplate capacity of 745 MW (summer peaking capacity of 695 MW), from Granite Ridge Holdings, LLC, for approximately $500 million, excluding working capital and other adjustments. The addition of this modern, efficient, natural gas-fired, combined-cycle power plant increased capacity in our East segment, specifically the constrained New England market. Beginning operations in 2003, Granite Ridge Energy Center is located in Londonderry, New Hampshire and features two combustion turbines, two heat recovery steam generators and one steam turbine. We funded the acquisition with a combination of cash on hand and financing obtained in the fourth quarter of 2015, and the purchase price was primarily allocated to property, plant and equipment. The pro forma incremental impact of Granite Ridge Energy Center on our results of operations for each of the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015 is not material. Acquisition of Champion Energy On October 1, 2015, we, through our indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary Calpine Energy Services Holdco, LLC, completed the purchase of Champion Energy Marketing, LLC from a subsidiary of Crane Champion Holdco, LLC, which owned a 75% interest, and EDF Trading North America, LLC, which owned a 25% interest, for approximately $240 million, excluding working capital adjustments. The addition of this well-established retail sales organization is consistent with our stated goal of getting closer to our end-use customers and provides us a valuable sales channel for directly reaching a much greater portion of the load we seek to serve. The purchase price was funded with cash on hand and any excess of the purchase price over the fair values of Champion Energy’s assets and liabilities was recorded as goodwill; however, the goodwill we recorded as a result of this acquisition was immaterial. We did not record any material adjustments to the preliminary purchase price allocation during the three months ended March 31, 2016. Sale of South Point Energy Center On April 1, 2016, we entered into an asset sale agreement for the sale of substantially all of the assets comprising our South Point Energy Center to Nevada Power Company d/b/a NV Energy. The sale is subject to certain conditions precedent, as well as federal and state regulatory approvals, and is expected to close no later than the first quarter of 2017. The natural gas-fired, combined-cycle plant is located on the Fort Mojave Indian Reservation in Mohave Valley, Arizona, and features a summer peak capacity of 504 MW. This transaction supports our effort to divest non-core assets outside our strategic concentration. Assets Held for Sale The assets of Osprey Energy Center and South Point Energy Center, which are part of our East and West segments, respectively, are classified as held for sale and are reported as other current assets on our Consolidated Condensed Balance Sheet at March 31, 2016 and consist of property, plant and equipment, net.

Acquisitions and Divestitures

Acquisition of Granite Ridge Energy Center

On February 5, 2016, we, through our indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary Calpine Granite Holdings, LLC, completed the purchase of Granite Ridge Energy Center, a power plant with a nameplate capacity of 745 MW (summer peaking capacity of 695 MW), from Granite Ridge Holdings, LLC, for approximately $500 million, excluding working capital and other adjustments. The addition of this modern, efficient, natural gas-fired, combined-cycle power plant increased capacity in our East segment, specifically the constrained New England market. Beginning operations in 2003, Granite Ridge Energy Center is located in Londonderry, New Hampshire and features two combustion turbines, two heat recovery steam generators and one steam turbine. We funded the acquisition with a combination of cash on hand and financing obtained in the fourth quarter of 2015, and the purchase price was primarily allocated to property, plant and equipment. The pro forma incremental impact of Granite Ridge Energy Center on our results of operations for each of the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015 is not material.

Acquisition of Champion Energy

On October 1, 2015, we, through our indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary Calpine Energy Services Holdco, LLC, completed the purchase of Champion Energy Marketing, LLC from a subsidiary of Crane Champion Holdco, LLC, which owned a 75% interest, and EDF Trading North America, LLC, which owned a 25% interest, for approximately $240 million, excluding working capital adjustments. The addition of this well-established retail sales organization is consistent with our stated goal of getting closer to our end-use customers and provides us a valuable sales channel for directly reaching a much greater portion of the load we seek to serve. The purchase price was funded with cash on hand and any excess of the purchase price over the fair values of Champion Energy’s assets and liabilities was recorded as goodwill; however, the goodwill we recorded as a result of this acquisition was immaterial. We did not record any material adjustments to the preliminary purchase price allocation during the three months ended March 31, 2016.

Sale of South Point Energy Center

On April 1, 2016, we entered into an asset sale agreement for the sale of substantially all of the assets comprising our South Point Energy Center to Nevada Power Company d/b/a NV Energy. The sale is subject to certain conditions precedent, as well as federal and state regulatory approvals, and is expected to close no later than the first quarter of 2017. The natural gas-fired, combined-cycle plant is located on the Fort Mojave Indian Reservation in Mohave Valley, Arizona, and features a summer peak capacity of 504 MW. This transaction supports our effort to divest non-core assets outside our strategic concentration.

Assets Held for Sale

The assets of Osprey Energy Center and South Point Energy Center, which are part of our East and West segments, respectively, are classified as held for sale and are reported as other current assets on our Consolidated Condensed Balance Sheet at March 31, 2016 and consist of property, plant and equipment, net.