Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssetsTargetAllocationsAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Weighted average rate for present value of future retirement benefits cash flows, used to determine benefit obligation of defined benefit plan.

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationDiscountRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Weighted average rate increase of compensation, used to determine benefit obligation of defined benefit plan. Plan includes, but is not limited to, pay-related defined benefit plan.

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationRateOfCompensationIncrease
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Weighted-average interest crediting rate used to determine benefit obligation of defined benefit plan. Plan includes, but is not limited to, cash balance and other defined benefit plans with promised interest crediting rate.

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationWeightedAverageInterestCreditingRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Weighted average rate for present value of future retirement benefits cash flows, used to determine net periodic benefit cost of defined benefit plan.

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostDiscountRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Weighted average rate of return on plan assets, reflecting average rate of earnings expected on existing plan assets and expected contributions, used to determine net periodic benefit cost of defined benefit plan.

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostExpectedLongTermReturnOnAssets
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Weighted average rate of compensation increase used to determine net periodic benefit cost of defined benefit plan. Plan includes, but is not limited to, pay-related defined benefit plan.

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostRateOfCompensationIncrease
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Weighted-average interest crediting rate used to determine net periodic benefit cost of defined benefit plan. Plan includes, but is not limited to, cash balance and other defined benefit plans with promised interest crediting rate.

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostWeightedAverageInterestCreditingRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanDisclosureLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Amount of asset segregated and restricted to provide benefit under defined benefit plan. Asset includes, but is not limited to, stock, bond, other investment, earning from investment, and contribution by employer and employee.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (d)(iv)(01)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123447040&loc=d3e1928-114920

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (d)(iv)(01)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123447040&loc=d3e1928-114920

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (d)(ii)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123447040&loc=d3e1928-114920

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 55
-Paragraph 17
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123450688&loc=d3e4179-114921

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (d)(iv)(02)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123447040&loc=d3e1928-114920

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123447040&loc=d3e1928-114920

Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (d)(ii)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123447040&loc=d3e1928-114920

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Assumed rate, for next fiscal year, based on annual change in cost of health care cost benefits used to measure expected cost of benefits covered by defined benefit postretirement plan. Factors include, but are not limited to, estimate of health care inflation, change in health care utilization or delivery pattern, technological advances, and change in health status of participant. Excludes factors for change in composition of plan population by age and dependency status.

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanHealthCareCostTrendRateAssumedNextFiscalYear
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Percentage of target investment allocation to total plan assets. Includes, but is not limited to, percentage on weighted-average basis if more than one plan.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 55
-Paragraph 17
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123450688&loc=d3e4179-114921

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (d)(i)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123447040&loc=d3e1928-114920

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanPlanAssetsTargetAllocationPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Ultimate trend rate for health care cost for defined benefit postretirement plan.

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanUltimateHealthCareCostTrendRate1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- References

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanWeightedAverageAssumptionsUsedInCalculatingBenefitObligationAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanWeightedAverageAssumptionsUsedInCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Year ultimate health care cost trend rate is expected to be reached, in YYYY format.

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanYearHealthCareCostTrendRateReachesUltimateTrendRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:gYearListItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_RetirementPlanTypeAxis=us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_WeightedAverageMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis=nrg_CommonTrustInvestmentUsEquitySecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis=nrg_CommonTrustInvestmentNonUsEquitySecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis=nrg_EmergingMarketEquitiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis=nrg_CommonTrustInvestmentFixedIncomeSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis=us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis=us-gaap_ShortTermInvestmentsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis=us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis=us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel12And3Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis=us-gaap_FairValueMeasuredAtNetAssetValuePerShareMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis=us-gaap_PartnershipMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_RetirementPlanTypeAxis=us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: