Investments Accounted for Using the Equity Method and Variable Interest Entities, or VIEs

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2019

Variable Interest Entities Disclosure [Abstract]

Investments Accounted for Using the Equity Method and Variable Interest Entities, or VIEs

Entities that are not Consolidated

NRG accounts for the Company's significant investments using the equity method of accounting. NRG's carrying value of equity investments can be impacted by a number of elements including impairments, unrealized gains and losses on derivatives and movements in foreign currency exchange rates.

PG&E Bankruptcy - The Agua Caliente project and two of the three Ivanpah units are party to PPAs with PG&E. Both projects have project financing with the U.S. DOE. On January 29, 2019, PG&E Corp. and subsidiary utility PG&E filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. As part of their filing, PG&E asked the Bankruptcy Court to confirm exclusive jurisdiction over their "rights to reject" PPAs or other contracts regulated by FERC. As a result of the bankruptcy filing, the Agua Caliente and Ivanpah projects have issued notices of events of default under their respective loan agreements.

Under the current schedule set by the bankruptcy court, PG&E has the exclusive opportunity to propose a restructuring plan until September 26, 2019, although the ad hoc committee of senior unsecured noteholders filed a motion on June 25, 2019 to terminate PG&E's exclusivity period and to allow it to propose a plan that would include the assumption of all renewable contracts entered into by PG&E. The bankruptcy court has not yet ruled on that motion.

The Company's subsidiaries are working with their partners on the projects and the loan counterparties. The Company believes that the Agua Caliente and Ivanpah PPAs with PG&E will not be rejected in the bankruptcy proceedings. NRG's maximum

exposure to loss is limited to its equity investment, which was $206 million for Agua Caliente and $16 million for Ivanpah as of June 30, 2019. See Note 10, Debt and Capital Leases for further discussion on Agua Caliente.

Variable Interest Entities

NRG accounts for its interests in certain entities that are considered VIEs under ASC 810, Consolidation, for which NRG is not the primary beneficiary, under the equity method.

Through its consolidated subsidiary, NRG Solar Ivanpah LLC, NRG owns a 54.5% interest in Ivanpah Master Holdings LLC, or Ivanpah, the owner of three solar electric generating projects located in the Mojave Desert with a total capacity of 393 MW. NRG considers this investment a VIE under ASC 810 and NRG is not considered the primary beneficiary. The Company accounts for its interest under the equity method of accounting.

The Ivanpah solar electric generating projects were funded in large part by loans guaranteed by the U.S. DOE and equity from the projects' partners. During the first quarter of 2018, all interested parties sought a restructuring of Ivanpah's debt in order to avoid a potential event of default with respect to the loans and entered into a settlement during the second quarter of 2018. The settlement resulted in certain transactions, including the release of reserves totaling $95 million to fund equity distributions to the partners, which reduced the equity at risk, and the prepayment of certain of the debt balance outstanding, and the amendment of certain of Ivanpah's governing documents. The equity distributions and prepayment of debt were funded by the agreed upon release of reserve funds. These events were considered to be a reconsideration event in accordance with ASC 810. As a result, NRG determined that it is not the primary beneficiary and deconsolidated Ivanpah. NRG recognized a loss of $22 million on the deconsolidation and subsequent recognition of Ivanpah as an equity method investment during the six months ended June 30, 2018. The deconsolidation of Ivanpah reduced the Company's assets by approximately $1.3 billion, which was primarily property, plant and equipment, and reduced the Company's liabilities by $1.2 billion, which was primarily long-term debt.

Entities that are Consolidated

The Company has a controlling financial interest in certain entities that have been identified as VIEs under ASC 810. These arrangements are primarily related to tax equity arrangements entered into with third-parties in order to finance the cost of solar energy systems under operating leases eligible for certain tax credits as further described in Note 2, Summary of Significant Accounting Policies to the Company's 2018 Form 10-K.

The summarized financial information for the Company's consolidated VIEs consisted of the following:



(In millions)	June 30, 2019		December 31, 2018
Current assets	$	3	$	3
Net property, plant and equipment	74		76
Other long-term assets	29		28
Total assets	106		107
Current liabilities	1		2
Long-term debt	28		29
Other long-term liabilities	8		7
Total liabilities	37		38
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	19		19
Net assets less noncontrolling interests	$	50	$	50