Acquisition (Notes)	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2017
Business Combinations [Abstract]
Mergers, acquisitions and dispositions disclosures	Acquisitions and Divestitures Acquisition of North American Power On January 17, 2017, we, through an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary, completed the purchase of 100% of the outstanding limited liability company membership interests in North American Power for approximately $105 million, excluding working capital and other adjustments. North American Power is a growing retail energy supplier for homes and small businesses and is primarily concentrated in the Northeast U.S. where Calpine has a substantial power generation presence and where Champion Energy has a substantial retail sales footprint that is enhanced by the addition of North American Power, which has been integrated into our Champion Energy retail platform. We funded the acquisition with cash on hand and the purchase price is allocated to the net assets of the business including intangible assets for the value of customer relationships and goodwill. The goodwill recorded associated with our acquisition of North American Power is deductible for tax purposes. The pro forma incremental effect of North American Power on our results of operations for each of the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016 is not material. Acquisition of Calpine Solutions, formerly Noble Solutions We did not record any material adjustments to the preliminary purchase price allocation during the three months ended March 31, 2017 associated with our acquisition of Calpine Solutions on December 1, 2016. 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 purchase price allocation was finalized during the first quarter of 2017 and did not result in any material adjustments or the recognition of goodwill. Sale of Osprey Energy Center On January 3, 2017, we completed the sale of the Osprey Energy Center to Duke Energy Florida, Inc. for approximately $166 million, excluding working capital and other adjustments. This transaction supports our effort to divest non-core assets outside our strategic concentration. We recorded a gain on sale of assets, net of approximately $27 million during the three months ended March 31, 2017 associated with the sale of the Osprey Energy Center. Sale of South Point Energy Center As a result of the denial by the Nevada Public Utility Commission of the sale of South Point Energy Center to Nevada Power Company in February 2017, we terminated the corresponding asset sale agreement in the first quarter of 2017. We are currently assessing our options related to South Point Energy Center; however, we do not anticipate that the termination of the asset sale agreement will have a material effect on our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows. During the first quarter of 2017, we reclassified the assets of South Point Energy Center from current assets held for sale to held and used which are measured at fair value as a component of property, plant and equipment, net.

Acquisitions and Divestitures

Acquisition of North American Power

On January 17, 2017, we, through an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary, completed the purchase of 100% of the outstanding limited liability company membership interests in North American Power for approximately $105 million, excluding working capital and other adjustments. North American Power is a growing retail energy supplier for homes and small businesses and is primarily concentrated in the Northeast U.S. where Calpine has a substantial power generation presence and where Champion Energy has a substantial retail sales footprint that is enhanced by the addition of North American Power, which has been integrated into our Champion Energy retail platform. We funded the acquisition with cash on hand and the purchase price is allocated to the net assets of the business including intangible assets for the value of customer relationships and goodwill. The goodwill recorded associated with our acquisition of North American Power is deductible for tax purposes. The pro forma incremental effect of North American Power on our results of operations for each of the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016 is not material.

Acquisition of Calpine Solutions, formerly Noble Solutions

We did not record any material adjustments to the preliminary purchase price allocation during the three months ended March 31, 2017 associated with our acquisition of Calpine Solutions on December 1, 2016.

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 purchase price allocation was finalized during the first quarter of 2017 and did not result in any material adjustments or the recognition of goodwill.

Sale of Osprey Energy Center

On January 3, 2017, we completed the sale of the Osprey Energy Center to Duke Energy Florida, Inc. for approximately $166 million, excluding working capital and other adjustments. This transaction supports our effort to divest non-core assets outside our strategic concentration. We recorded a gain on sale of assets, net of approximately $27 million during the three months ended March 31, 2017 associated with the sale of the Osprey Energy Center.

Sale of South Point Energy Center

As a result of the denial by the Nevada Public Utility Commission of the sale of South Point Energy Center to Nevada Power Company in February 2017, we terminated the corresponding asset sale agreement in the first quarter of 2017. We are currently assessing our options related to South Point Energy Center; however, we do not anticipate that the termination of the asset sale agreement will have a material effect on our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows. During the first quarter of 2017, we reclassified the assets of South Point Energy Center from current assets held for sale to held and used which are measured at fair value as a component of property, plant and equipment, net.