XML 34 R22.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.21.2

Income Taxes | 9 Months Ended
--- | ---
Sep. 30, 2021
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract] |
Income Taxes | Income Taxes Effective Income Tax Rate The income tax provision consisted of the following:
| Three months ended September 30, |  | Nine months ended September 30,
(In millions, except rates) | 2021 |  | 2020 |  | 2021 |  | 2020
Income before income taxes | $ | 2,163 |  |  | $ | 341 |  |  | $ | 3,454 |  |  | $ | 899 |
Income tax expense | 545 |  |  | 92 |  |  | 840 |  |  | 216 |
Effective income tax rate | 25.2 | % |  | 27.0 | % |  | 24.3 | % |  | 24.0 | %
For the three months ended September 30, 2021, the effective tax rate was higher than the statutory rate of 21% primarily due to state tax expense. For the nine months ended September 30, 2021, the effective tax rate was higher than the statutory rate of 21% primarily due to state tax expense partially offset by 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 periods in 2020, the effective tax rates were higher than the statutory rate of 21% due to state tax expense partially offset by an excess tax benefit related to share-based compensation. Uncertain Tax Benefits As of September 30, 2021, NRG had a non-current tax liability of $25 million for uncertain tax benefits from positions taken on various federal and state income tax returns and accrued interest. For the nine months ended September 30, 2021, NRG accrued an immaterial amount of interest relating to the uncertain tax benefits. As of September 30, 2021, NRG had cumulative interest and penalties related to these uncertain tax benefits of $3 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.

X
- References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_IncomeTaxDisclosureAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- 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=121826272&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=122134291&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=121826272&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=122134291&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=121826272&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 Reference 9: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08(h)(2)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120395691&loc=d3e23780-122690 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_IncomeTaxDisclosureTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | dtr-types:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration