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Income Taxes - Tax Provision (Details) - USD ($)
$ in Millions
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017
Dec. 31, 2016
Dec. 31, 2015
Current      
State $ 19 $ 6 $ 9
Total — current 19 6 9
Deferred      
U.S. Federal (6) 3 1,020
State (7) (6) 315
Foreign 2 2 1
Total — deferred $ (11) $ (1) $ 1,336
Effective income tax rate (as a percent) (0.50%) (0.50%) (27.00%)
Domestic and foreign components of income from continuing operations before income tax expense      
U.S. $ (1,557) $ (989) $ (4,997)
Foreign 17 11 11
Income tax expense $ 8 $ 5 1,345
U.S. federal statutory rate (as a percent) 35.00% 35.00%  
Reconciliation of the U.S. federal statutory rate to NRG's effective rate from continuing operations      
Loss before income taxes $ (1,540) $ (978) (4,986)
Tax at 35% (539) (342) (1,745)
State taxes 19 0 (215)
Foreign operations 2 10 1
Federal and state tax credits, excluding PTCs 0 0 (5)
Tax Act - corporate income tax rate change 733 0 0
Valuation allowance due to corporate income tax rate change (660) 0 0
Valuation allowance due to corporate income tax rate change 482 398 3,023
Impact of non-taxable equity earnings (5) 22 (10)
Book goodwill impairment 30 0 340
Net interest accrued on uncertain tax positions 0 1 (3)
Production tax credits (20) (26) (33)
Recognition of uncertain tax benefits (5) 2 (15)
Tax expense attributable to consolidated partnerships 4 (1) 12
State rate change including true-up to current period activity 18 (59) (7)
AMT refundable credit (64) 0 0
Other 13 0 2
Income tax expense $ 8 $ 5 $ 1,345
Effective income tax rate (as a percent) (0.50%) (0.50%) (27.00%)