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Goodwill and Other Intangibles (Tables)

12 Months Ended

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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-SubTopic 30
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