v3.19.3

Related Party Transactions (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2018
Related Party Transactions [Abstract]
Continuing Involvement with Derecognized Transferred Financial Assets, Amount Outstanding	$ 269		$ 269		$ 238
Notes Receivable, Related Parties, Current	53		53		$ 34
Trade Receivables Sold			1,800	$ 1,800
Cash Flows Between Transferor and Transferee, Proceeds from New Transfers			1,800	1,800
Revenue from Related Parties	16	$ 17	53	55
Related Party Transaction, Purchases from Related Party	$ 4	$ 5	$ 11	$ 11

X

- Definition

Trade Receivables Sold

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cpn_TradeReceivablesSold
Namespace Prefix:	cpn_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Cash Flows between a transferor and a transferee attributable to newly transferred assets related to either a securitization, asset-backed financing arrangement, or similar transfer in which the transferor has continuing involvement with the transferred financial assets underlying the transaction (including, but not limited to, servicing, recourse, and restrictions on transferor's interests in the transferred financial assets).

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (d)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118948506&loc=d3e107207-111719

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CashFlowsBetweenTransfereeAndTransferorProceedsFromNewTransfers
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Amount of transferred financial assets in which the transferor has continuing involvement with the assets underlying the transaction that have been derecognized. Continuing involvement includes, but is not limited to, servicing, recourse, and restrictions on transferor's interests in transferred financial assets.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (a)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118948506&loc=d3e107314-111719

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerecognizedAssetsSecuritizedOrAssetbackedFinancingArrangementAssetsAndAnyOtherFinancialAssetsManagedTogetherPrincipalAmountOutstanding
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Amounts due from parties associated with the reporting entity as evidenced by a written promise to pay, due within 1 year (or 1 business cycle).

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(k)(1))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 850
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6457730&loc=d3e39549-107864

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.3(a)(2))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NotesReceivableRelatedPartiesCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Purchases during the period (excluding transactions that are eliminated in consolidated or combined financial statements) with related party.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionPurchasesFromRelatedParty
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

X

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Amount of revenue, fees and commissions earned from transactions between (a) a parent company and its subsidiaries; (b) subsidiaries of a common parent; (c) an entity and trusts for the benefit of employees, for example, but not limited to, pension and profit-sharing trusts that are managed by or under the trusteeship of the entity's management; (d) an entity and its principal, owners, management, or members of their immediate families; and (e) affiliates.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 946
-SubTopic 220
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.6-07.1(c))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116637345&loc=SL114874292-224272

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.1(e))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116634182&loc=SL114868664-224227

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RevenueFromRelatedParties
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration