<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0000916457-17-000092
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20170601
<FILING-DATE>20170602
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20170602
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>CALPINE CORP
<CIK>0000916457
<ASSIGNED-SIC>4911
<IRS-NUMBER>770212977
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>717 TEXAS AVENUE
<STREET2>SUITE 1000
<CITY>HOUSTON
<STATE>TX
<ZIP>77002
<PHONE>7138302000
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>717 TEXAS AVENUE
<STREET2>SUITE 1000
<CITY>HOUSTON
<STATE>TX
<ZIP>77002
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>GRIGGS, III, W. G.
<CIK>0001642587
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-12079
<FILM-NUMBER>17888174
</FILING-VALUES>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>717 TEXAS AVENUE, SUITE 1000
<CITY>HOUSTON, TX
<STATE>TX
<ZIP>77002
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>wf-form4_149643465500141.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2017-06-01</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000916457</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CALPINE CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CPN</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001642587</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>GRIGGS, III, W. G.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>CALPINE CORPORATION</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>717 TEXAS AVENUE, SUITE 1000</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>HOUSTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>77002</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>EVP and President, Retail</officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2017-06-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2274</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>13.18</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>85365</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Represents shares withheld by Calpine Corporation (the &quot;Company&quot;) at the reporting person's request, as permitted under the Company's Amended and Restated 2008 Equity Incentive Plan to satisfy the reporting person's tax withholding obligation in connection with the vesting on June 1, 2017 of certain shares of restricted stock previously awarded to the reporting person. There was no open market sale of shares by the reporting person.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Closing market price of the Company common stock on the transaction date.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ W. Thaddeus Miller by Power of Attorney</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2017-06-02</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
