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Debt and Capital Leases - Non-Recourse Debt, Yield Notes and Project Financing (Details) - USD ($)				3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	May 26, 2017	Feb. 17, 2017	Aug. 18, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2017
Debt Instrument
Long-term debt				$ 16,704,000,000	$ 16,633,000,000
Sun Edison Utility-Scale Solar and Wind | In-development Wind Assets
Debt Instrument
Non-recourse project level debt				222,000,000	222,000,000
Non Recourse Debt
Debt Instrument
Long-term debt				8,909,000,000	9,451,000,000
Revolving Credit Facility | Carlsbad Financing Agreement
Debt Instrument
Construction loan	$ 194,000,000				20,000,000
Revolving Credit Facility | Letter of Credit
Debt Instrument
Letters of credit outstanding					29,000,000
Working capital loan facility	83,000,000
Revolving Credit Facility | Working Capital Facility
Debt Instrument
Working capital loan facility	4,000,000
NRG Yield Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument
Amount outstanding under revolver					55,000,000
NRG Yield Revolving Credit Facility | Letter of Credit
Debt Instrument
Letters of credit outstanding					$ 74,000,000
NRG Yield Operating LLC Senior Notes, due 2026 | Non Recourse Debt
Debt Instrument
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes			$ 350,000,000
Interest rate, stated percentage			5.00%		5.00%
Long-term debt				350,000,000	$ 350,000,000
Agua Caliente Borrower 1, due 2038 | Non Recourse Debt
Debt Instrument
Interest rate, stated percentage		5.43%			5.43%
Senior notes issued		$ 130,000,000
Long-term debt				0	$ 89,000,000
Carlsbad Energy Project | Non Recourse Debt
Debt Instrument
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes	$ 407,000,000
Interest rate, stated percentage	4.12%
Long-term debt				0	427,000,000
Carlsbad Energy Project | Notes Payable to Banks
Debt Instrument
Long-term debt					407,000,000
Utah Portfolio | Non Recourse Debt
Debt Instrument
Long-term debt				287,000,000	278,000,000
Additional debt borrowed				65,000,000	$ 65,000,000
Utah Portfolio | Non Recourse Debt | LIBOR
Debt Instrument
Basis spread on variable rate (as a percent)					2.625%
NRG Energy Center Minneapolis Series D Notes | Non Recourse Debt
Debt Instrument
Interest rate, stated percentage					3.55%
Senior notes issued				$ 125,000,000
NRG Energy Center Minneapolis Series D Notes | Shelf Facility
Debt Instrument
Long-term debt					$ 70,000,000

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