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Income Taxes | 3 Months Ended
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Mar. 31, 2021
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract] |
Income Taxes | Income Taxes Effective Income Tax Rate The income tax provision consisted of the following:
| Three months ended March 31, |  |
(In millions, except rates) | 2021 |  | 2020 |  |  |  |
(Loss)/Income before income taxes | $ | (167) |  |  | $ | 144 |  |  |  |  |
Income tax (benefit)/expense | (85) |  |  | 23 |  |  |  |  |
Effective income tax rate | 50.9 | % |  | 16.0 | % |  |  |  |
For the three months ended March 31, 2021, the effective tax rate was higher than the statutory rate of 21% primarily due to state tax benefits and one-time tax benefits, as a result of the acquisition of Direct Energy, on the revaluation of state deferred tax assets, NOLs, and valuation allowance. For the same period in 2020, the effective tax rate was lower than the statutory rate of 21% primarily due to an excess tax benefit related to share-based compensation, partially offset by state tax expense. Uncertain Tax Benefits As of March 31, 2021, NRG had a non-current tax liability of $23 million for uncertain tax benefits from positions taken on various federal and state income tax returns and accrued interest. For the three months ended March 31, 2021, NRG accrued an immaterial amount of interest relating to the uncertain tax benefits. As of March 31, 2021, NRG had cumulative interest and penalties related to these uncertain tax benefits of $2 million. The Company recognizes interest and penalties related to uncertain tax benefits in income tax expense. NRG is subject to examination by taxing authorities for income tax returns filed in the U.S. federal jurisdiction and various state and foreign jurisdictions including operations located in Australia and Canada. The Company is no longer subject to U.S. federal income tax examinations for years prior to 2017. With few exceptions, state and local income tax examinations are no longer open for years prior to 2012.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for income taxes. Disclosures may include net deferred tax liability or asset recognized in an enterprise's statement of financial position, net change during the year in the total valuation allowance, approximate tax effect of each type of temporary difference and carryforward that gives rise to a significant portion of deferred tax liabilities and deferred tax assets, utilization of a tax carryback, and tax uncertainties information. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 21 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84230637&loc=d3e32857-109319 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SAB Topic 11.C) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116825942&loc=d3e330215-122817 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 17 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84230637&loc=d3e32809-109319 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SAB TOPIC 6.I.5.Q1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116825942&loc=d3e330036-122817 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 14 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84230637&loc=d3e32705-109319 Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 270 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6424409&loc=d3e44925-109338 Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2144680 Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 30 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6424122&loc=d3e41874-109331 + Details
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