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Debt and Capital Leases - Recourse Debt Redemption Period (Details) - Recourse Debt	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2018
Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Call feature			Generally, if an event of default occurs, the Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the then outstanding series of Senior Notes may declare all of the Senior Notes of such series to be due and payable immediately.
Average Early Redemption Percentage			25.00%
Senior Notes 2024
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Average Early Redemption Percentage			35.00%
Senior Notes 2024 | Treasury Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Treasury rate redemption (as percentage)			0.50%
Premium percentage of principal amount of note discount factor (as percent)			1.00%
Senior Notes due 2026
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Average Early Redemption Percentage			35.00%
Senior Notes due 2026 | Treasury Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Treasury rate redemption (as percentage)			0.50%
Premium percentage of principal amount of note discount factor (as percent)			1.00%
Senior Notes due 2027
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Average Early Redemption Percentage	103.06%
Redemption percentage			35.00%
Senior Notes due 2027 | Treasury Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Treasury rate redemption (as percentage)			0.50%
Premium percentage of principal amount of note discount factor (as percent)			1.00%
Senior Notes due 2028
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Average Early Redemption Percentage	99.13%	99.24%
Redemption percentage			35.00%
Senior Notes due 2028 | Treasury Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Treasury rate redemption (as percentage)			0.50%
Premium percentage of principal amount of note discount factor (as percent)			1.00%
May 1, 2019 to April 30, 2020 | Senior Notes 2024
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption percentage			103.125%
May 1, 2020 to April 30, 2021 | Senior Notes 2024
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption percentage			102.083%
May 1, 2021 to April 30, 2022 | Senior Notes 2024
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption percentage			101.042%
May 1, 2022 and thereafter | Senior Notes 2024
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption percentage			100.00%
Redemption Period prior to 1 May 2019 | Senior Notes 2024
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption description			At any time prior to May 1, 2019, NRG may redeem up to 35% of the aggregate principal amount of the 2024 Senior Notes, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount, accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date, plus a premium. The premium is the greater of: (i) 1% of the principal amount of the notes; or (ii) the excess of the principal amount of the note over the following: the present value of 103.125% of the note, plus interest payments due on the note from the date of redemption through May 1, 2019 computed using a discount rate equal to the Treasury Rate as of such redemption date plus 0.50%.
Redemption percentage			106.25%
Present value of note(as percentage)			1.03125
Redemption Period Prior To 1 May 2019 | Senior Notes 2024
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption percentage			100.00%
Redemption Period Prior to 15 May 2019 | Senior Notes due 2026
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption description			At any time prior to May 15, 2019, NRG may redeem up to 35% of the aggregate principal amount of the 2026 Senior Notes, at a redemption price equal to 107.25% of the principal amount of the notes redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest, with an amount equal to the net cash proceeds of certain equity offerings
Redemption percentage			107.25%
Redemption Period Prior To 15 May 2021 | Senior Notes due 2026
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption description			At any time prior to May 15, 2021, NRG may redeem all or a part of the 2026 Senior Notes, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount, accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date, plus a premium. The premium is the greater of: (i) 1% of the principal amount of the notes; or (ii) the excess of the principal amount of the note over the following: the present value of 103.625% of the note, plus interest payments due on the note from the date of redemption through May 15, 2021 computed using a discount rate equal to the Treasury Rate as of such redemption date plus 0.50%.
Redemption percentage			100.00%
Present value of note(as percentage)			1.03625
May 15, 2021 to May 14, 2022 | Senior Notes due 2026
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption percentage			103.625%
May 15, 2022 to May 14, 2023 | Senior Notes due 2026
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption percentage			102.417%
May 15, 2023 to May 14, 2024 | Senior Notes due 2026
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption percentage			101.208%
May 15, 2024 and thereafter | Senior Notes due 2026
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption percentage			100.00%
Redemption Period Prior To 15 July 2019 | Senior Notes due 2027
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption description			At any time prior to July 15, 2019, NRG may redeem up to 35% of the aggregate principal amount of the 2027 Senior Notes, at a redemption price equal to 106.625% of the principal amount of the notes redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest, with an amount equal to the net cash proceeds of certain equity offerings.
Redemption percentage			106.625%
Redemption Period Prior To 15 July 2021 | Senior Notes due 2027
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption description			At any time prior to July 15, 2021 NRG may redeem all or a part of the 2027 Senior Notes, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount, accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date, plus a premium. The premium is the greater of: (i) 1% of the principal amount of the notes; or (ii) the excess of the principal amount of the note over the following: the present value of 103.313% of the note, plus interest payments due on the note from the date of redemption through July 15, 2021 computed using a discount rate equal to the Treasury Rate as of such redemption date plus 0.50%.
Redemption percentage			100.00%
Present value of note(as percentage)			1.03313
July 15, 2021 to July14, 2022 | Senior Notes due 2027
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption percentage			103.313%
July 15, 2022 to July 14, 2023 | Senior Notes due 2027
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption percentage			102.208%
July 15, 2023 to July 14, 2024 | Senior Notes due 2027
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption percentage			101.104%
July 15, 2024 and thereafter | Senior Notes due 2027
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption percentage			100.00%
Redemption Period Prior to January 15, 2021 | Senior Notes due 2028
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption percentage			105.75%
Redemption Period Prior to January 15, 2023 | Senior Notes due 2028
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption percentage			100.00%
Present value of note(as percentage)			1.02875
January 15, 2023 to January 14, 2024 | Senior Notes due 2028
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption percentage			102.875%
January 15, 2024 to January 14, 2025 | Senior Notes due 2028
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption percentage			101.917%
January 15, 2025 to January 14, 2026 | Senior Notes due 2028
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption percentage			100.958%
January 15, 2026 and thereafter | Senior Notes due 2028
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption percentage			100.00%

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