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Fair Value of Financial Instruments (Tables) | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2018
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract] |
Estimated Carrying Amounts and Fair Values of Financial Instruments Not Carried at Fair Value | The estimated carrying values and fair values of the Company's recorded financial instruments not carried at fair market value are as follows:
| As of December 31,
| 2018 |  | 2017
| Carrying Amount |  | Fair Value |  | Carrying Amount |  | Fair Value
| (In millions)
Assets |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Notes receivable | $ | 17 |  |  | $ | 14 |  |  | $ | 2 |  |  | $ | 2 |
Liabilities |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Long-term debt, including current portion (a) | $ | 6,591 |  |  | $ | 6,697 |  |  | $ | 9,482 |  |  | $ | 9,739 |
(a) Excludes deferred financing costs, which are recorded as a reduction to long-term debt on the Company's consolidated balance sheets The fair value of the Company's publicly-traded long-term debt is based on quoted market prices and is classified as Level 2 within the fair value hierarchy. The fair value of debt securities, non-publicly traded long-term debt, and certain notes receivable of the Company are based on expected future cash flows discounted at market interest rates or current interest rates for similar instruments with equivalent credit quality and are classified as Level 3 within the fair value hierarchy. The following table presents the level within the fair value hierarchy for long-term debt, including current portion as of December 31, 2018 and 2017:
| As of December 31, 2018 |  | As of December 31, 2017
| Level 2 |  | Level 3 |  | Level 2 |  | Level 3
| (In millions)
Long-term debt, including current portion | $ | 6,528 |  |  | $ | 169 |  |  | $ | 7,432 |  |  | $ | 2,307 |
Assets and Liabilities Measured and Recorded at Fair Value Measured on a Recurring Basis | The following tables present assets and liabilities measured and recorded at fair value on the Company's consolidated balance sheets on a recurring basis and their level within the fair value hierarchy:
| As of December 31, 2018
| Fair Value
| Total |  | Level 1 |  | Level 2 |  | Level 3
| (In millions)
Investments in securities (classified within other current and non-current assets) | $ | 39 |  |  | $ | 2 |  |  | $ | 18 |  |  | $ | 19 |
Nuclear trust fund investments: |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Cash and cash equivalents | 19 |  |  | 19 |  |  | — |  |  | — |
U.S. government and federal agency obligations | 46 |  |  | 46 |  |  | — |  |  | — |
Federal agency mortgage-backed securities | 100 |  |  | — |  |  | 100 |  |  | — |
Commercial mortgage-backed securities | 22 |  |  | — |  |  | 22 |  |  | — |
Corporate debt securities | 96 |  |  | — |  |  | 96 |  |  | — |
Equity securities | 312 |  |  | 312 |  |  | — |  |  | — |
Foreign government fixed income securities | 4 |  |  | — |  |  | 4 |  |  | — |
Other trust fund investments: |  |  |  |  |  |  |
U.S. government and federal agency obligations | 1 |  |  | 1 |  |  | — |  |  | — |
Derivative assets: |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Commodity contracts | 1,042 |  |  | 137 |  |  | 796 |  |  | 109 |
Interest rate contracts | 39 |  |  | — |  |  | 39 |  |  | — |
Measured using net asset value practical expedient: |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity securities-nuclear trust fund investments | 64 |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | — |
Equity securities | 8 |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | — |
Total assets | $ | 1,792 |  |  | $ | 517 |  |  | $ | 1,075 |  |  | $ | 128 |
Derivative liabilities: |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Commodity contracts | $ | 977 |  |  | $ | 224 |  |  | $ | 664 |  |  | $ | 89 |
Total liabilities | $ | 977 |  |  | $ | 224 |  |  | $ | 664 |  |  | $ | 89 |
| As of December 31, 2017
| Fair Value
| Total |  | Level 1 |  | Level 2 |  | Level 3
Investments in securities (classified within other current or non-current assets) | $ | 39 |  |  | $ | 3 |  |  | $ | 17 |  |  | $ | 19 |
Nuclear trust fund investments: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Cash and cash equivalents | 47 |  |  | 45 |  |  | 2 |  |  | — |
U.S. government and federal agency obligations | 43 |  |  | 42 |  |  | 1 |  |  | — |
Federal agency mortgage-backed securities | 82 |  |  | — |  |  | 82 |  |  | — |
Commercial mortgage-backed securities | 14 |  |  | — |  |  | 14 |  |  | — |
Corporate debt securities | 99 |  |  | — |  |  | 99 |  |  | — |
Equity securities | 334 |  |  | 334 |  |  | — |  |  | — |
Foreign government fixed income securities | 5 |  |  | — |  |  | 5 |  |  | — |
Other trust fund investments: |  |  |  |  |  |  |
U.S. government and federal agency obligations | 1 |  |  | 1 |  |  | — |  |  | — |
Derivative assets: |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Commodity contracts | 744 |  |  | 191 |  |  | 509 |  |  | 44 |
Interest rate contracts | 39 |  |  | — |  |  | 39 |  |  | — |
Measured using net asset value practical expedient: |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity securities-nuclear trust fund investments | 68 |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | — |
Equity securities | 8 |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | — |
Total assets | $ | 1,523 |  |  | $ | 616 |  |  | $ | 768 |  |  | $ | 63 |
Derivative liabilities: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Commodity contracts | $ | 674 |  |  | $ | 257 |  |  | $ | 358 |  |  | $ | 59 |
Interest rate contracts | 6 |  |  | — |  |  | 6 |  |  | — |
Total liabilities | $ | 680 |  |  | $ | 257 |  |  | $ | 364 |  |  | $ | 59 |
Reconciliation of Beginning and Ending Balances for Financial Instruments that are Recognized at Fair Value using Significant Unobservable Inputs | The following tables reconcile, for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, the beginning and ending balances for financial instruments that are recognized at fair value in the consolidated financial statements at least annually using significant unobservable inputs:
| For the Year Ended December 31, 2018
| Fair Value Measurement Using Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
| Debt Securities |  | Derivatives (a) |  | Total
| (In millions)
Beginning balance as of January 1, 2018 | $ | 19 |  |  | $ | (15 | ) |  | $ | 4 |
Contracts acquired in XOOM acquisition | — |  |  | 12 |  |  | 12 |
Total losses realized/unrealized included in earnings | — |  |  | (21 | ) |  | (21 | )
Purchases | — |  |  | 41 |  |  | 41 |
Transfers into Level 3 (b) | — |  |  | 5 |  |  | 5 |
Transfers out of Level 3 (b) | — |  |  | (2 | ) |  | (2 | )
Ending balance as of December 31, 2018 | $ | 19 |  |  | $ | 20 |  |  | $ | 39 |
Losses for the period included in earnings attributable to the change in unrealized gains or losses relating to assets or liabilities still held as of December 31, 2018 | $ | — |  |  | $ | (17 | ) |  | $ | (17 | )
(a) | Consists of derivatives assets and liabilities, net
(b) | Transfers into/out of Level 3 are related to the availability of external broker quotes, and are valued as of the end of the reporting period. All transfers into/out of Level 3 are from/to Level 2
| For the Year Ended December 31, 2017
| Fair Value Measurement Using Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
| Debt Securities |  | Derivatives (a) |  | Total
| (In millions)
Beginning balance as of January 1, 2017 | $ | 17 |  |  | $ | (64 | ) |  | $ | (47 | )
Total gains realized/unrealized included in earnings | 2 |  |  | 37 |  |  | 39 |
Purchases | — |  |  | (4 | ) |  | (4 | )
Contracts reclassified to held-for-sale |  |  |  | 4 |  |  | 4 |
Transfers into Level 3 (b) | — |  |  | (1 | ) |  | (1 | )
Transfer out of Level 3 (b) | — |  |  | 13 |  |  | 13 |
Ending balance as of December 31, 2017 | $ | 19 |  |  | $ | (15 | ) |  | $ | 4 |
Gains for the period included in earnings attributable to the change in unrealized gains or losses relating to assets or liabilities still held as of December 31, 2017 | $ | — |  |  | $ | 1 |  |  | $ | 1 |
(a) | Consists of derivatives assets and liabilities, net
(b) | Transfers into/out of Level 3 are related to the availability of external broker quotes, and are valued as of the end of the reporting period. All transfers into/out of Level 3 are from/to Level 2
Schedule of Significant Unobservable Inputs used in Developing Fair Value of Level 3 Positions | The following tables quantify the significant unobservable inputs used in developing the fair value of the Company's Level 3 positions as of December 31, 2018 and 2017:
| Significant Unobservable Inputs
| December 31, 2018
| Fair Value |  |  |  | Input/Range
| Assets |  | Liabilities |  | Valuation Technique |  | Significant Unobservable Input |  | Low |  | High |  | Weighted Average
| (In millions) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Power Contracts | $ | 89 |  |  | $ | 75 |  |  | Discounted Cash Flow |  | Forward Market Price (per MWh) |  | $ | 1 |  |  | $ | 214 |  |  | $ | 31 |
FTRs | 20 |  |  | 14 |  |  | Discounted Cash Flow |  | Auction Prices (per MWh) |  | (90 | ) |  | 34 |  |  | — |
| $ | 109 |  |  | $ | 89 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Significant Unobservable Inputs
| December 31, 2017
| Fair Value |  |  |  | Input/Range
| Assets |  | Liabilities |  | Valuation Technique |  | Significant Unobservable Input |  | Low |  | High |  | Weighted Average
| (In millions) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Power Contracts | $ | 33 |  |  | $ | 47 |  |  | Discounted Cash Flow |  | Forward Market Price (per MWh) |  | $ | 10 |  |  | $ | 142 |  |  | $ | 24 |
FTRs | 11 |  |  | 12 |  |  | Discounted Cash Flow |  | Auction Prices (per MWh) |  | (28 | ) |  | 46 |  |  | — |
| $ | 44 |  |  | $ | 59 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Fair Value Inputs, Sensitivity Analysis | The following table provides sensitivity of fair value measurements to increases/(decreases) in significant unobservable inputs as of December 31, 2018 and 2017:
Significant Unobservable Input |  | Position |  | Change In Input |  | Impact on Fair Value Measurement
Forward Market Price Power |  | Buy |  | Increase/(Decrease) |  | Higher/(Lower)
Forward Market Price Power |  | Sell |  | Increase/(Decrease) |  | Lower/(Higher)
FTR Prices |  | Buy |  | Increase/(Decrease) |  | Higher/(Lower)
FTR Prices |  | Sell |  | Increase/(Decrease) |  | Lower/(Higher)
Net Counterparty Credit Exposure by Industry Sector and by Counterparty Credit Quality | The following tables highlight net counterparty credit exposure by industry sector and by counterparty credit quality. Net counterparty credit exposure is defined as the aggregate net asset position for NRG with counterparties where netting is permitted under the enabling agreement and includes all cash flow, mark-to-market and NPNS, and non-derivative transactions. The exposure is shown net of collateral held, and includes amounts net of receivables or payables.
Category | Net Exposure (a) (b) (% of Total)
Utilities, energy merchants, marketers and other | 89 | %
Financial institutions | 11 |
Total | 100 | %
Category | Net Exposure (a) (b) (% of Total)
Non-Investment grade/Non-Rated | 51 | %
Investment grade | 49 |
Total | 100 | %
(a) | Counterparty credit exposure excludes uranium and coal transportation contracts because of the unavailability of market prices.
(b) | The figures in the tables above exclude potential counterparty credit exposure related to RTOs, ISOs, registered commodity exchanges and certain long term contracts.

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- Definition Tabular disclosure of assets and liabilities, including [financial] instruments measured at fair value that are classified in stockholders' equity, if any, that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis. The disclosures contemplated herein include the fair value measurements at the reporting date by the level within the fair value hierarchy in which the fair value measurements in their entirety fall, segregating fair value measurements using quoted prices in active markets for identical assets (Level 1), significant other observable inputs (Level 2), and significant unobservable inputs (Level 3). + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 820 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=99377789&loc=d3e19190-110258 + Details
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