XML 87 R71.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.10.0.1

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Redeemable Non Controlling Interest (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2018 | Dec. 31, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2016
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items] |  |  |
Balance at beginning of period | $ 78 | $ 46 | $ 29
Distributions to redeemable noncontrolling interest | (43) | (65) | (158)
Contributions from redeemable noncontrolling interest | 26 | 99 | 33
Comprehensive loss attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest | 1 | (72) | (38)
Net loss attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest - discontinued operations | (27) |  |
Deconsolidation of NRG Yield and the Renewables Platform | (2,548) |  |
Balance at end of period | 19 | 78 | 46
Redeemable noncontrolling interest |  |  |
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items] |  |  |
Distributions to redeemable noncontrolling interest | (3) | (2) | (1)
Non-cash adjustments to redeemable noncontrolling interest | (8) | $ 7 | $ 23
NRG Yield Inc. And Zephyr Renewables |  |  |
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items] |  |  |
Deconsolidation of NRG Yield and the Renewables Platform | $ (48) |  |

X
- Definition Noncontrolling Interest, Noncash Adjustments + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | nrg_NoncontrollingInterestNoncashAdjustments
Namespace Prefix: | nrg_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest, Cash Contributions from Noncontrolling Interest Holders + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | nrg_RedeemableNoncontrollingInterestCashContributionsfromNoncontrollingInterestHolders
Namespace Prefix: | nrg_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount after tax of income (loss) from a discontinued operation attributable to the noncontrolling interest. Includes, but is not limited to, the income (loss) from operations during the phase-out period, gain (loss) on disposal, gain (loss) for reversal of write-down (write-down) to fair value, less cost to sell, and adjustments to a prior period gain (loss) on disposal. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 205 -SubTopic 20 -Section 45 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109222160&loc=d3e1012-107759 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 15 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=108774443&loc=SL4568447-111683 Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 205 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 5B -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109222650&loc=SL51721673-107760 Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 205 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109222650&loc=d3e1361-107760 Reference 5: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 19 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=108774443&loc=SL4569616-111683 Reference 6: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 205 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 5C -Subparagraph (b)(2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109222650&loc=SL51721675-107760 Reference 7: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 205 -SubTopic 20 -Section 45 -Paragraph 3B -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109222160&loc=SL51721525-107759 Reference 8: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 205 -SubTopic 20 -Section 45 -Paragraph 3A -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109222160&loc=SL51721523-107759 Reference 9: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 205 -SubTopic 20 -Section 45 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109222160&loc=d3e957-107759 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_IncomeLossFromDiscontinuedOperationsNetOfTaxAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Decrease in noncontrolling interest balance from payment of dividends or other distributions by the non-wholly owned subsidiary or partially owned entity, included in the consolidation of the parent entity, to the noncontrolling interest holders. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 505 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.3-04) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27012166&loc=d3e187085-122770 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_MinorityInterestDecreaseFromDistributionsToNoncontrollingInterestHolders
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_MinorityInterestLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of Net Income (Loss) attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 220 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.19) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=115205541&loc=SL114868664-224227 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_NetIncomeLossAttributableToRedeemableNoncontrollingInterest
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The amount of the reduction or elimination during the period of a noncontrolling interest resulting from the parent's loss of control and deconsolidation of the entity in which one or more outside parties had a noncontrolling interest. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1A -Subparagraph (c)(2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109239629&loc=SL4573702-111684 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 505 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27012166&loc=d3e187085-122770 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_NoncontrollingInterestDecreaseFromDeconsolidation
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of noncontrolling interests which are redeemable by the parent entity, classified as other equity. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 480 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 3A -Subparagraph (12)(c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65877616&loc=SL6540498-122764 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 480 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 3A -Subparagraph 15 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65877616&loc=SL6540498-122764 Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 480 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 3A -Subparagraph (16)(c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65877616&loc=SL6540498-122764 Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 480 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 3A -Subparagraph 14 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65877616&loc=SL6540498-122764 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_RedeemableNoncontrollingInterestEquityOtherCarryingAmount
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis=nrg_RedeemableNoncontrollingInterestMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis=nrg_NRGYieldInc.AndZephyrRenewablesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |