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Variable Interest Entities, or VIEs
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 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 June 30, 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 June 30, 2018.
Ivanpah Master Holdings LLC — Through its consolidated subsidiary, NRG Solar Ivanpah LLC, the Company owns a 54.6% interest in Ivanpah Master Holdings LLC, or Ivanpah, the owner of three solar electric generating projects located in the Mojave Desert with a total capacity of 392 MW. The projects were funded in large part by loans guaranteed by the U.S. DOE and equity from the projects' partners. During the first quarter of 2018, all interested parties sought a restructuring of Ivanpah's debt in order to avoid a potential event of default with respect to the loans in connection with several recent events, including the planned sale of NRG's renewables platform. Ensuing negotiations culminated in a settlement during the second quarter of 2018 between the parties which resulted in certain transactions, including the release of reserves totaling $95 million to fund equity distributions to the partners, which reduced the equity at risk, and the prepayment of certain of the debt balance outstanding, and the amendment of certain of Ivanpah's governing documents. The equity distributions and prepayment of debt were funded by the agreed upon release of reserve funds. These events were considered to be a reconsideration event in accordance with ASC 810, Consolidations. As a result, NRG determined that it is not the primary beneficiary and deconsolidated Ivanpah. NRG recognized a loss of $22 million on the deconsolidation and subsequent recognition of Ivanpah as an equity method investment during the six months ended June 30, 2018. The deconsolidation of Ivanpah reduced the Company's assets by approximately $1.3 billion, which was primarily property, plant and equipment, and reduced the Company's liabilities by $1.2 billion, which was primarily long-term debt. NRG's maximum exposure to loss is limited to its equity investment, which was $57 million as of June 30, 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 $83 million as of June 30, 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)
June 30, 2018
 
December 31, 2017
Current assets
$
191

 
$
118

Net property, plant and equipment
2,709

 
2,337

Other long-term assets
660

 
658

Total assets
3,560

 
3,113

Current liabilities
119

 
96

Long-term debt
814

 
661

Other long-term liabilities
211

 
209

Total liabilities
1,144

 
966

Redeemable noncontrolling interest
69

 
78

Noncontrolling interest
660

 
507

Net assets less noncontrolling interest
$
1,687

 
$
1,562