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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies | 9 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2019
Accounting Policies [Abstract] |
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies | Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Net Income/(Loss) attributable to NRG Energy, Inc. The following table reflects the net income/(loss) attributable to NRG Energy, Inc. after removing the net income attributable to the noncontrolling interest and redeemable noncontrolling interest:
| Three months ended September 30, |  |  |  | Nine months ended September 30, |  |
| 2019 |  | 2018 |  | 2019 |  | 2018
| (In millions) |  |  |  |  |  |
Income from continuing operations, net of income tax | $ | 374 |  |  | $ | 274 |  |  | $ | 656 |  |  | $ | 547 |
(Loss)/income from discontinued operations, net of income tax | (2) |  |  | (346) |  |  | 399 |  |  | (267) |
Net income/(loss) attributable to NRG Energy, Inc. | $ | 372 |  |  | $ | (72) |  |  | $ | 1,055 |  |  | $ | 280 |
Other Balance Sheet Information The following table presents the allowance for doubtful accounts included in accounts receivable, net; accumulated depreciation included in property, plant and equipment, net; accumulated amortization included in intangible assets, net and accumulated amortization included in out-of-market contracts, net:
| September 30, 2019 |  | December 31, 2018
| (In millions) |  |  |
Accounts receivable allowance for doubtful accounts | $ | 57 |  |  | $ | 32 |
Property, plant and equipment accumulated depreciation | 1,759 |  |  | 1,811 |
Intangible assets accumulated amortization | 1,215 |  |  | 1,149 |
Out-of-market contracts accumulated amortization | — |  |  | 37 |
Restricted Cash The following table provides a reconciliation of cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash and funds deposited by counterparties reported within the consolidated balance sheets that sum to the total of the same such amounts shown in the statements of cash flows:
| September 30, 2019 |  | December 31, 2018
| (In millions) |  |  |
Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 243 |  |  | $ | 563 |
Funds deposited by counterparties | 30 |  |  | 33 |
Restricted cash | 4 |  |  | 17 |
Cash and cash equivalents, funds deposited by counterparties and restricted cash shown in the statement of cash flows | $ | 277 |  |  | $ | 613 |
Funds deposited by counterparties consist of cash held by the Company as a result of collateral posting obligations from its counterparties. Some amounts are segregated into separate accounts that are not contractually restricted but, based on the Company's intention, are not available for the payment of general corporate obligations. Depending on market fluctuations and the settlement of the underlying contracts, the Company will refund this collateral to the hedge counterparties pursuant to the terms and conditions of the underlying trades. Since collateral requirements fluctuate daily and the Company cannot predict if any collateral will be held for more than twelve months, the funds deposited by counterparties are classified as a current asset on the Company's balance sheet, with an offsetting liability for this cash collateral received within current liabilities. Restricted cash consists primarily of funds held to satisfy the requirements of certain debt agreements and funds held within the Company's projects that are restricted in their use. Pension Plan Amendments During the third quarter of 2019, STPNOC announced that the defined benefit pension plan will be frozen for non-union employees on December 31, 2021. This resulted in the curtailment of benefits, thereby requiring a remeasurement, including an update to the discount rate used to determine benefit obligations. As a result, NRG recognized a gain of $8 million related to the curtailment of benefits and an increase of $32 million to the pension liability was recorded to other comprehensive income. The STP defined benefit plan is further described in Note 13, Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefits, to the Company’s 2018 Form 10-K. Recent Accounting Developments - Guidance Adopted in 2019 ASU 2016-02 - In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), or Topic 842, which was further amended through various updates issued by the FASB thereafter, with the objective to increase transparency and comparability among organizations by recognizing lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet and to improve financial reporting by expanding the related disclosures. The guidance in Topic 842 provides that a lessee that may have previously accounted for a lease as an operating lease under current GAAP should recognize the assets and liabilities that arise from a lease on the balance sheet. In addition, Topic 842 expands the required quantitative and qualitative disclosures with regards to lease arrangements. The Company adopted the standard and its subsequent corresponding updates effective January 1, 2019 under the modified retrospective approach by applying the provisions of the new leases guidance at the effective date without adjusting the comparative periods presented. The Company assessed its leasing arrangements, evaluated the impact of applying practical expedients and accounting policy elections, and implemented lease accounting software to meet the reporting requirements of the standard. The Company established operating lease liabilities of $404 million and right-of-use assets of $321 million upon adoption, before considering deferred taxes. The adoption of Topic 842 did not have a material impact on the statements of operations or cash flows. See Note 8, Leases, for further discussion. Recent Accounting Developments - Guidance Not Yet Adopted ASU 2018-17 - In October 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-17, Consolidations (Topic 810): Targeted Improvements to Related Party Guidance for Variable Interest Entities, in response to stakeholders’ observations that Topic 810, Consolidations, could be improved thereby improving general purpose financial reporting. Specifically, ASC 2018-17 requires application of the variable interest entity (VIE) guidance to private companies under common control and consideration of indirect interest held through related parties under common control for determining whether fees paid to decision makers and service providers are variable interests. The amendments are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within those fiscal years. All entities are required to apply the amendments retrospectively with a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings at the beginning of the earliest period presented. The Company is evaluating the impact of adopting this guidance on the consolidated financial statements and disclosures. ASU 2018-13 - In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework - Changes to the Disclosure Requirement for Fair value Measurement). The guidance in ASU No. 2018-13 eliminates such disclosures as the amount of and reasons for transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy. The amendments in ASU No. 2018-13 add new disclosure requirements for Level 3 measurements. ASU No. 2018-13 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted for any eliminated or modified disclosures. Certain disclosures in ASU No. 2018-13 are required to be applied on a retrospective basis and others on a prospective basis. As the amendment contemplates changes in disclosures only, it will have no material impact on the Company's results of operations, cash flows, or statement of financial position.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for all significant accounting policies of the reporting entity. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2122369 + Details
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