<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001179110-18-004837.txt : 20180326
<SEC-HEADER>0001179110-18-004837.hdr.sgml : 20180326
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20180326170312
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001179110-18-004837
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	3
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20180316
FILED AS OF DATE:		20180326
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20180326

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			Curci Brian
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001734640

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		3
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-15891
		FILM NUMBER:		18713373

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		804 CARNEGIE CENTER
		CITY:			PRINCETON
		STATE:			NJ
		ZIP:			08540

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			NRG ENERGY, INC.
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001013871
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	ELECTRIC SERVICES [4911]
		IRS NUMBER:				411724239
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		804 CARNEGIE CENTER
		STREET 2:		-
		CITY:			PRINCETON
		STATE:			NJ
		ZIP:			08540
		BUSINESS PHONE:		609-524-4500

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		804 CARNEGIE CENTER
		STREET 2:		-
		CITY:			PRINCETON
		STATE:			NJ
		ZIP:			08540

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	NRG ENERGY INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19960509
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>3
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 3 -
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0206</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>3</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2018-03-16</periodOfReport>

    <noSecuritiesOwned>0</noSecuritiesOwned>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001013871</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>NRG ENERGY, INC.</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>NRG</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001734640</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Curci Brian</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>NRG ENERGY, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>804 CARNEGIE CENTER</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PRINCETON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NJ</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>08540</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>General Counsel &amp; Corp Sec</officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, par value $.01 per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>40066</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Relative Performance Stock Units</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2021-01-02</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2021-01-02</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock, par value $.01 per share</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>7610</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Includes 16,967 Restricted Stock Units (&quot;RSUs&quot;) issued to Mr. Curci by NRG Energy, Inc. under NRG's Long Term Incentive Plan (&quot;LTIP&quot;) and 191 Dividend Equivalent Rights (&quot;DERs&quot;). Each RSU is equivalent in value to one share of NRG's Common Stock, par value $.01. Upon vesting of the RSUs, Mr. Curci will receive from NRG the following: (i) 4,236 shares issued on January 4, 2019; (ii) 4,046 shares issued on January 3, 2019; (iii) 4,046 shares issued on January 3, 2020; (iv) 1,546 shares issued on January 2, 2019; (v) 1,546 shares issued on January 2, 2020; and(vi) 1,547 shares issued on January 2, 2021. Each DER will accrue on Mr. Curci's RSUs, Market Stock Units (&quot;MSUs&quot;) or Relative Performance Stock Units (&quot;RPSUs&quot;) and will become exercisable proportionately with the RSUs, MSUs, or RPSUs to which they relate and can only be settled in NRG common stock. Each DER is the economic equivalent to one share of NRG common stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Mr. Curci was issued 7,610 Relative Performance Stock Units (&quot;RPSUs&quot;) by NRG under the LTIP on January 2, 2018. The RPSUs will convert to shares of NRG Common Stock on January 2, 2021 only in the event the Company has achieved a certain level of TSRs relative to the Peer Group (defined below) over a three-year performance period. The number of shares of Common Stock that the Reporting Person may receive is interpolated for TSR falling between Threshold, Target, and Maximum levels as described below.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Mr. Curci will receive  (i) a maximum of 15,220 shares of Common Stock if the Company's TSR is ranked at or above the 75th percentile relative to a peer group of companies approved by the Company's Compensation Committee (the &quot;Peer Group&quot;) for the performance period (the &quot;Maximum&quot;); (ii) 7,610 shares of Common Stock if the Company's TSR is ranked at the 55th percentile relative to the Peer Group for the performance period (the &quot;Target&quot;); provided, however, if TSR is less than negative fifteen percent (-15%), the Company's TSR must be ranked at the 65th percentile relative to the Peer Group for the performance period to receive the Target award; or (iii) 1,903 shares of Common Stock if the Company's TSR is ranked at the 25th percentile relative to the Peer Group for the performance period (the &quot;Threshold&quot;). Mr. Curci will not receive any shares of Common Stock if the Company'ss TSR is below the 25th percentile relative to the Peer Group for the performance period.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">The Maximum award that the Reporting Person will receive shall not exceed six (6) times the fair market value of the Target award, determined as of the date of grant.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Brian Curci</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2018-03-26</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
