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Goodwill and Other Intangibles (Tables) | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2020
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract] |
Summary of the Components of Intangible Assets Subject to Amortization | The following tables summarize the components of NRG's intangible assets subject to amortization:
(In millions) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Year Ended December 31, 2020 | Emission Allowances |  | Fuel Contracts |  |  |  | Customer Relationships |  | Marketing Partnerships |  | Trade Names |  | Other(b) |  | Total
January 1, 2020 | $ | 662 |  |  | $ | 49 |  |  |  |  | $ | 573 |  |  | $ | 285 |  |  | $ | 373 |  |  | $ | 109 |  |  | $ | 2,051 |
Purchases | 25 |  |  | — |  |  |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 45 |  |  | 70 |
Acquisition of businesses (a) | — |  |  | — |  |  |  |  | 22 |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 22 |
Retirements | — |  |  | — |  |  |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | (35) |  |  | (35) |
Write-off of fully amortized balances | (4) |  |  | — |  |  |  |  | (70) |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | (74) |
Impairment | (14) |  |  | — |  |  |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | (14) |
Other | 3 |  |  | — |  |  |  |  | 2 |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 5 |
December 31, 2020 | 672 |  |  | 49 |  |  |  |  | 527 |  |  | 285 |  |  | 373 |  |  | 119 |  |  | 2,025 |
Less accumulated amortization | (563) |  |  | (46) |  |  |  |  | (349) |  |  | (99) |  |  | (247) |  |  | (53) |  |  | (1,357) |
Net carrying amount | $ | 109 |  |  | $ | 3 |  |  |  |  | $ | 178 |  |  | $ | 186 |  |  | $ | 126 |  |  | $ | 66 |  |  | $ | 668 |
(a)The weighted average life of acquired intangibles was 5 years for customer relationships (b)RECs are not subject to amortization and had a carrying value of $28 million
(In millions) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Year Ended December 31, 2019 | Emission Allowances |  | Fuel Contracts |  |  |  | Customer Relationships |  | Marketing Partnerships |  | Trade Names |  | Other(b) |  | Total
January 1, 2019 | $ | 659 |  |  | $ | 49 |  |  |  |  | $ | 478 |  |  | $ | 131 |  |  | $ | 345 |  |  | $ | 80 |  |  | $ | 1,742 |
Purchases | 13 |  |  | — |  |  |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 29 |  |  | 42 |
Acquisition of businesses (a) | — |  |  | — |  |  |  |  | 110 |  |  | 154 |  |  | 28 |  |  | 26 |  |  | 318 |
Usage/Retirements | (4) |  |  | — |  |  |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | (17) |  |  | (21) |
Write-off of fully amortized balances | (8) |  |  | — |  |  |  |  | (13) |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | (9) |  |  | (30) |
Impairment | — |  |  | — |  |  |  |  | (2) |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | (2) |
Other | 2 |  |  | — |  |  |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 2 |
December 31, 2019 | 662 |  |  | 49 |  |  |  |  | 573 |  |  | 285 |  |  | 373 |  |  | 109 |  |  | 2,051 |
Less accumulated amortization | (539) |  |  | (45) |  |  |  |  | (345) |  |  | (75) |  |  | (220) |  |  | (38) |  |  | (1,262) |
Net carrying amount | $ | 123 |  |  | $ | 4 |  |  |  |  | $ | 228 |  |  | $ | 210 |  |  | $ | 153 |  |  | $ | 71 |  |  | $ | 789 |
(a)The weighted average life of acquired intangibles was: customer relationships 7 years, trade names 12 years, marketing partnerships 9 years, and energy supply contracts 2 years (b)RECs are not subject to amortization and had a carrying value of $18 million
Schedule of Amortization and Retirements of Intangible Expense | The following table presents NRG's amortization and retirements of intangible assets for each of the past three years:
| Years Ended December 31,
(In millions) | 2020 |  | 2019 |  | 2018
Emission allowances | $ | 28 |  |  | $ | 32 |  |  | $ | 39 |
Customer relationships | 74 |  |  | 44 |  |  | 32 |
Marketing partnerships | 24 |  |  | 15 |  |  | 9 |
Trade names | 27 |  |  | 25 |  |  | 23 |
Other(a) | 51 |  |  | 35 |  |  | 30 |
Total amortization | $ | 204 |  |  | $ | 151 |  |  | $ | 133 |
(a)For the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, RECs were retired to cost of operations for $36 million, $17 million and $28 million, respectively. For the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, other intangibles were amortized to depreciation and amortization expense for $15 million, $18 million and $2 million, respectively.
Schedule of Estimated Amortization of Intangible Assets for Next Five Years | The following table presents estimated amortization of NRG's intangible assets as of December 31, 2020 for each of the next five years:
(In millions) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Year Ended December 31, | Emission Allowances |  |  |  | Fuel Contracts |  | Customer Relationships |  | Marketing Partnerships |  | Trade Names |  | Other |  | Total
2021 | $ | 31 |  |  |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 64 |  |  | $ | 24 |  |  | $ | 27 |  |  | $ | 3 |  |  | $ | 149 |
2022 | 30 |  |  |  |  | 1 |  |  | 44 |  |  | 23 |  |  | 27 |  |  | 3 |  |  | 128 |
2023 | 30 |  |  |  |  | — |  |  | 45 |  |  | 23 |  |  | 26 |  |  | 3 |  |  | 127 |
2024 | 31 |  |  |  |  | 1 |  |  | 16 |  |  | 23 |  |  | 17 |  |  | 3 |  |  | 91 |
2025 | 29 |  |  |  |  | — |  |  | 5 |  |  | 22 |  |  | 11 |  |  | 3 |  |  | 70 |

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