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Debt and Capital Leases - Schedule of Long-term Debt and Capital Leases (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions |  |  |  | 12 Months Ended |  |  |  |  |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Mar. 21, 2018 | Jan. 24, 2017 | Jun. 30, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2018 | Nov. 05, 2018 | Sep. 30, 2018 | Jun. 30, 2018 | Dec. 31, 2017 | Dec. 07, 2017
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Long-term debt |  |  |  | $ 6,691 |  |  |  | $ 9,494 |
Capital leases |  |  |  | 1 |  |  |  | 5 |
Subtotal |  |  |  | 6,692 |  |  |  | 9,499 |
Less current maturities |  |  |  | (72) |  |  |  | (204) |
Less debt issuance costs |  |  |  | (70) |  |  |  | (103) |
Discounts |  |  |  | (101) |  |  |  | (12) |
Total long-term debt and capital leases |  |  |  | 6,449 |  |  |  | 9,180 |
Debt Instrument, Unamortized Discount [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Total discounts |  |  |  | (101) |  |  |  | (12) |
Recourse Debt |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Long-term debt |  |  |  | 6,523 |  |  |  | 7,182 |
Recourse Debt | Senior notes, due 2022 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Long-term debt |  |  |  | $ 0 |  |  |  | 992 |
Interest rate, stated percentage |  |  |  | 6.25% |  | 6.25% | 6.25% |  |
Recourse Debt | Senior notes, due 2024 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Long-term debt |  |  |  | $ 733 |  |  |  | 733 |
Interest rate, stated percentage |  |  |  | 6.25% |  | 6.25% |  |  |
Recourse Debt | Senior notes, due 2026 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Long-term debt |  |  |  | $ 1,000 |  |  |  | 1,000 |
Interest rate, stated percentage |  |  |  | 7.25% |  | 7.25% |  |  |
Recourse Debt | Senior notes, due 2027 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Long-term debt |  |  |  | $ 1,230 |  |  |  | 1,250 |
Interest rate, stated percentage |  |  |  | 6.625% |  | 6.625% |  |  |
Recourse Debt | Senior notes, due 2028 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Long-term debt |  |  |  | $ 821 |  |  |  | 870 |
Interest rate, stated percentage |  |  |  | 5.75% |  | 5.75% | 5.75% |  | 5.75%
Recourse Debt | Convertible Senior Notes, due 2048 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Long-term debt |  |  |  | $ 575 |  |  |  | 0 |
Interest rate, stated percentage |  |  |  |  |  | 2.75% |  |  |
Debt Instrument, Unamortized Discount [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Unamortized discount on debt instruments |  |  |  | (96) |  |  |  | 0 |
Recourse Debt | Term loan facility, due 2023 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Long-term debt |  |  | $ 1,900 | 1,698 | $ 260 |  |  | 1,872 |
Debt Instrument, Unamortized Discount [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Unamortized discount on debt instruments |  |  |  | $ (4) |  |  |  | (7) |
Recourse Debt | Term loan facility, due 2023 | LIBOR |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Basis spread on variable rate (as a percent) | 1.75% | 2.25% | 2.75% | 1.75% |  |  |  |  |
Recourse Debt | Tax-exempt bonds |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Long-term debt |  |  |  | $ 466 |  |  |  | 465 |
Recourse Debt | Tax-exempt bonds | Low |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Interest rate, stated percentage |  |  |  | 4.125% |  |  |  |  |
Recourse Debt | Tax-exempt bonds | Maximum |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Interest rate, stated percentage |  |  |  | 6.00% |  |  |  |  |
Non Recourse Debt |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Long-term debt |  |  |  | $ 168 |  |  |  | 2,312 |
Non Recourse Debt | Ivanpah, due 2033 and 2038 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Long-term debt |  |  |  | $ 0 |  |  |  | 1,073 |
Non Recourse Debt | Ivanpah, due 2033 and 2038 | Low |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Interest rate, stated percentage |  |  |  | 2.285% |  |  |  |  |
Non Recourse Debt | Ivanpah, due 2033 and 2038 | Maximum |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Interest rate, stated percentage |  |  |  | 4.256% |  |  |  |  |
Non Recourse Debt | Agua Caliente, due 2037 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Long-term debt |  |  |  | $ 0 |  |  |  | 818 |
Non Recourse Debt | Agua Caliente, due 2037 | Low |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Interest rate, stated percentage |  |  |  | 2.395% |  |  |  |  |
Non Recourse Debt | Agua Caliente, due 2037 | Maximum |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Interest rate, stated percentage |  |  |  | 3.633% |  |  |  |  |
Non Recourse Debt | Agua Caliente Borrower 1, due 2038 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Long-term debt |  |  |  | $ 86 |  |  |  | 89 |
Interest rate, stated percentage |  |  |  |  |  | 5.43% |  |  |
Non Recourse Debt | Midwest Generation, due 2019 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Long-term debt |  |  |  | 48 |  |  |  | 152 |
Interest rate, stated percentage |  |  |  |  |  | 4.39% |  |  |
Debt Instrument, Unamortized Discount [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Unamortized discount on debt instruments |  |  |  | (1) |  |  |  | (5) |
Non Recourse Debt | NRG Other |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Long-term debt |  |  |  | $ 34 |  |  |  | $ 180 |

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