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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)
 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2021
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Use of Estimates Use of EstimatesThe preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from these estimates.
Reclassifications ReclassificationsCertain prior period amounts have been reclassified for comparative purposes. The reclassifications did not affect consolidated results from operations, net assets or consolidated cash flows
Credit Losses
Credit Losses
On January 1, 2020, the Company adopted ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments, or ASU No. 2016-13, using the modified retrospective approach. Following the adoption of the new standard, the Company’s process of estimating expected credit losses remains materially consistent with its historical practice.
Retail trade receivables are reported on the balance sheet net of the allowance for credit losses. The Company accrues a provision for current expected credit losses based on (i) estimates of uncollectible revenues by analyzing accounts receivable aging and current and reasonable forecasts of expected economic factors including, but not limited to, unemployment rates and weather-related events, (ii) historical collections and delinquencies, and (iii) counterparty credit ratings for commercial and industrial customers.
Restricted Cash Funds deposited by counterparties consist of cash held by the Company as a result of collateral posting obligations from its counterparties. Though some amounts are segregated into separate accounts, not all funds are contractually restricted. Based on the Company's intention, these funds are not available for the payment of general corporate obligations; however, they are available for liquidity management. 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 within the Company's projects that are restricted for specific uses.
Recent Accounting Developments
Recent Accounting Developments - Guidance Adopted in 2021
ASU 2019-12 — In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes, or ASU 2019-12, to simplify various aspects related to accounting for income taxes. The guidance in ASU 2019-12 amends the general principles in Topic 740 to eliminate certain exceptions for recognizing deferred taxes for investment, performing intraperiod allocation and calculating income taxes in interim periods. This ASU also includes guidance to reduce complexity in certain areas, including recognizing deferred taxes for tax goodwill and allocating taxes to members of a consolidated group. ASU 2019-12 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020, and interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company adopted the amendments effective January 1, 2021 using the prospective approach. The adoption did not have a material impact on the Company's results of operations, cash flows, or statement of financial position.
Recent Accounting Developments - Guidance Not Yet Adopted
ASU 2020-06 — In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-06, Debt - Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging - Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40), or ASU 2020-06. The guidance in ASU 2020-06 reduces the number of accounting models for convertible debt instruments and convertible preferred stock. In addition, ASU 2020-06 improves and amends the related earnings per share guidance. This standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021 and interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company is currently in the process of assessing the impact of this guidance on the consolidated financial statements and disclosures.
ASU 2021-08 — In October 2021, the FASB issued ASU No. 2021-08, Business Combinations (Topic 805): Accounting for Contract Assets and Contract Liabilities from Contracts with Customers, or ASU 2021-08. Under current GAAP, an acquirer generally recognizes assets acquired and liabilities assumed in a business combination, including contract assets and contract liabilities arising from revenue contracts with customers and other similar contracts that are accounted for in accordance with ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, or ASC 606, at fair value on the acquisition date. ASU 2021-08 requires that an entity recognize and measure contract assets and contract liabilities acquired in a business combination in accordance with ASC 606. At the acquisition date, an acquirer should account for the related revenue contracts in accordance with ASC 606 as if it had originated the contracts, which should generally result in an acquirer recognizing and measuring the acquired contract assets and contract liabilities consistent with how they were recognized and measured in the acquiree’s financial statements. This update also provides certain practical expedients for acquirers when recognizing and measuring acquired contract assets and contract liabilities from revenue contracts in a business combination. The amendments in this update are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022, including interim periods within those fiscal years and should be applied prospectively to business combinations occurring on or after the effective date of the amendments. Early adoption is permitted, including adoption in an interim period. Adoption during an interim period requires retrospective application to all business combinations for which the acquisition date occurs on or after the beginning of the fiscal year that includes the interim period of early application and prospectively to all business combinations that occur on or after the date of initial application. The Company does not expect the adoption of ASU 2021-08 to have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements and disclosures.
Nuclear Decommissioning NRG's Nuclear Decommissioning Trust Fund assets, which are for the decommissioning of its 44% interest in STP, are comprised of securities classified as available-for-sale and recorded at fair value based on actively quoted market prices. NRG accounts for the Nuclear Decommissioning Trust Fund in accordance with ASC 980, Regulated Operations, because the Company's nuclear decommissioning activities are subject to approval by the PUCT with regulated rates that are designed to recover all decommissioning costs and that can be charged to and collected from the ratepayers per PUCT mandate. Since the Company is in compliance with PUCT rules and regulations regarding decommissioning trusts and the cost of decommissioning is the responsibility of the Texas ratepayers, not NRG, all realized and unrealized gains or losses (including other-than-temporary impairments) related to the Nuclear Decommissioning Trust Fund are recorded to the Nuclear Decommissioning Trust liability and are not included in net income or accumulated OCI, consistent with regulatory treatment.
Segment Reporting NRG’s chief operating decision maker, its chief executive officer, evaluates the performance of its segments based on operational measures including adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, or Adjusted EBITDA, free cash flow and allocation of capital, as well as net income/(loss).