Acquisitions and Dispositions - Acquisitions Narrative (Details) $ in Millions	Jan. 05, 2021 USD ($) state customer province
Canada
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Provinces in which entity operates \| province	8
Direct Energy
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Customers added (over) \| customer	3,000,000
Purchase price	$ 3,625
Purchase price adjustment	99
Adjusted purchase price	$ 3,724
Direct Energy \| U.S.
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
States in which entity operates \| state	50

Number of customers

No definition available.

Name:	nrg_NumberOfCustomers
Namespace Prefix:	nrg_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of Provinces in which Entity Operates

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	nrg_NumberOfProvincesInWhichEntityOperates
Namespace Prefix:	nrg_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

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.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of consideration transferred, consisting of acquisition-date fair value of assets transferred by the acquirer, liabilities incurred by the acquirer, and equity interest issued by the acquirer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 30
-Section 30
-Paragraph 8
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126966197&loc=d3e6613-128477

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
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-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126975305&loc=d3e6927-128479

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 30
-Section 30
-Paragraph 7
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126966197&loc=d3e6578-128477

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This element represents the amount of any measurement period adjustment (as defined) realized during the reporting period to items of consideration transferred in connection with a business combination for which the initial accounting was incomplete.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4A
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=128092470&loc=SL65897772-128472

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessCombinationProvisionalInformationInitialAccountingIncompleteAdjustmentConsiderationTransferred
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount recognized as of the acquisition date for the identifiable assets acquired in excess of (less than) the aggregate liabilities assumed.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 10
-Section 55
-Paragraph 37
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+ Details

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

- Definition

The number of states the entity operates in as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfStatesInWhichEntityOperates
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	srt_StatementGeographicalAxis=country_CA
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=nrg_DirectEnergyMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_StatementGeographicalAxis=country_US
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: