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Variable Interest Entities, or VIEs
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2018
Variable Interest Entities Disclosure [Abstract]  
Variable Interest Entities, or VIEs
Variable Interest Entities, or VIEs
Entities that are not Consolidated
NRG has interests in entities that are considered VIEs under ASC 810, Consolidation, but NRG is not considered the primary beneficiary.  NRG accounts for its interests in these entities under the equity method of accounting.
Utility-Scale Solar Portfolio Through its consolidated subsidiary, NRG Yield, Inc., the Company has equity interests in Four Brothers Solar, LLC, Granite Mountain Holdings, LLC, and Iron Springs Holdings, LLC which are accounted for as equity method investments as the Company does not have a controlling financial interest. The assets have 20-year PPAs with PacifiCorp. NRG's maximum exposure to loss is limited to its equity investment, which was $338 million as of March 31, 2018.
GenConn Energy LLC Through its consolidated subsidiary, NRG Yield, Inc., the Company owns a 50% interest in GCE Holding LLC, the owner of GenConn, which owns and operates two 190 MW peaking generation facilities in Connecticut at NRG's Devon and Middletown sites. NRG's maximum exposure to loss is limited to its equity investment, which was $100 million as of March 31, 2018.
Entities that are Consolidated
The Company has a controlling financial interest in certain entities which have been identified as VIEs under ASC 810. These arrangements are primarily related to tax equity arrangements entered into with third-parties in order to finance the cost of solar energy systems under operating leases and wind facilities eligible for certain tax credits as further described in Note 2, Summary of Significant Accounting Policies to the Company's 2017 Form 10-K. For one of the tax equity arrangements, the Company has a deficit restoration obligation equal to $81 million as of March 31, 2018, which would be required to be funded if the arrangement were to be dissolved.
The summarized financial information for the Company's consolidated VIEs consisted of the following:
(In millions)
March 31, 2018
 
December 31, 2017
Current assets
$
171

 
$
118

Net property, plant and equipment
2,712

 
2,337

Other long-term assets
665

 
658

Total assets
3,548

 
3,113

Current liabilities
111

 
96

Long-term debt
856

 
661

Other long-term liabilities
211

 
209

Total liabilities
1,178

 
966

Redeemable noncontrolling interest
80

 
78

Noncontrolling interests
646

 
507

Net assets less noncontrolling interests
$
1,644

 
$
1,562