Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policy)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Note 2 — Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Use of Estimates (Policy)

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions. These estimates and assumptions impact the reported amount of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the consolidated financial statements. They also impact the reported amount of net earnings during the reporting period. Actual results could be different from these estimates

Income Tax, Policy (Policy)

NRG accounts for income taxes in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification, or ASC, 740, Income Taxes, or ASC 740, which requires that the Company use the asset and liability method of accounting for deferred income taxes and provide deferred income taxes for all significant temporary differences, as further described in Note 2, Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, to the Company's 2011 Form 10-K. NRG reduces its current income tax expense in the consolidated statement of operations for any investment tax credits, or ITCs, that are not convertible into cash grants, as well as other tax credits, in the period the tax credit is generated. ITCs that are convertible into cash grants, as well as the deferred income tax benefit generated by the difference in the financial statement and tax basis of the related assets, are recorded as a reduction to the carrying value of the underlying property and subsequently amortized to earnings on a straight-line basis over the useful life of each underlying property.

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policy)

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Other Cash Flow Information

NRG’s investing activities exclude capital expenditures of $712 million which were accrued and unpaid at September 30, 2012, primarily for solar projects under construction.

Noncontrolling Interests

The following table reflects the changes in NRG's noncontrolling interest balance:

	(In millions)
Balance as of December 31, 2011	$	183
Sale proceeds and cash contributions	284
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interest	18
Balance as of September 30, 2012	$	485

Tax Credits

NRG accounts for income taxes in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification, or ASC, 740, Income Taxes, or ASC 740, which requires that the Company use the asset and liability method of accounting for deferred income taxes and provide deferred income taxes for all significant temporary differences, as further described in Note 2, Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, to the Company's 2011 Form 10-K. NRG reduces its current income tax expense in the consolidated statement of operations for any investment tax credits, or ITCs, that are not convertible into cash grants, as well as other tax credits, in the period the tax credit is generated. ITCs that are convertible into cash grants, as well as the deferred income tax benefit generated by the difference in the financial statement and tax basis of the related assets, are recorded as a reduction to the carrying value of the underlying property and subsequently amortized to earnings on a straight-line basis over the useful life of each underlying property.

Recent Accounting Developments

Effective January 1, 2012, the Company adopted the provisions of Accounting Standards Update, or ASU, No. 2011-05, Comprehensive Income (Topic 220) Presentation of Comprehensive Income, or ASU No. 2011-05, and began presenting the total of comprehensive income, the components of net income and the components of other comprehensive income in two separate but consecutive statements.  The provisions of ASU No. 2011-05 are required to be adopted retroactively.  As this guidance provides only presentation requirements, the adoption of this standard did not impact the Company's results of operations, cash flows or financial position.

Segment Reporting, Policy (Policy)

Effective in fiscal year 2012, NRG's segment structure and its allocation of corporate expenses were updated to reflect how management currently makes financial decisions and allocates resources. The Company has recast the data from prior periods to reflect this change in reportable segments to conform to the current year presentation. The Company's businesses are primarily segregated based on the Retail businesses, conventional power generation, alternative energy businesses and corporate activities.  Within NRG's conventional power generation operations, there are distinct components with separate operating results and management structures for the following geographical regions: Texas, Northeast, South Central, West and Other, which includes its international businesses, thermal and chilled water business and maintenance services.  The Company's alternative energy businesses include solar and wind assets, electric vehicle services and the carbon capture business.  Intersegment sales are accounted for at market.

Nuclear Decommissioning (policy)

NRG's nuclear decommissioning trust fund assets, which are for its portion of the decommissioning of the South Texas Project, or STP Units 1 & 2, 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, or ASC 980, 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 other comprehensive income, consistent with regulatory treatment.