NRG Energy
Encyclopedia
NRG Energy, Inc. is an American energy company headquartered in West Windsor Township, New Jersey
, near Princeton
.
In late 2005, NRG Energy bought Texas-based Texas Genco
from a group of private equity firms for roughly $5.9 billion.
Today, NRG has 29 traditional gas, coal, and oil power plants across 11 states, including 9 in Texas. Additionally, NRG has 6 operational "clean energy" facilities, including wind farms, a solar farm, and the South Texas Nuclear Plant (STNP)
NRG also owns or has an interest in generating facilities in Europe
, Australia
, and Latin America
. NRG's operations include baseload, intermediate, peaking, and cogeneration facilities, as well as thermal energy production and energy resource recovery facilities.
.
In May 2009, NRG entered this market by acquiring the retail operations of Reliant Energy. NRG's retail service serves 1.6 million customers in Texas. The retail operations continue to operate under the Reliant Energy name, while the remainder of the former Reliant Energy became RRI Energy.
Following the acquisition of Reliant, NRG extended its retail footprint with the acquisition of Green Mountain Energy
in November 2010. In doing so, NRG also became the largest retailer of green power in the nation, providing all of its Green Mountain and many of its Reliant customers with energy derived from 100% renewable resources.
NRG continued the trend of leading in the green power market in 2011 by becoming the largest green power retailer in New York City and signing a major agreement to provide 100% renewable energy for the iconic Empire State Building
.
network for electric power vehicles. The eVgo network, as it has been branded, was launched.
with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission
to build two 1358-MWe ABWR
s at the South Texas Project
site. This was the first nuclear plant license application filed in the United States in 29 years.
campus in Houston, Texas
, home to the Reliant Astrodome
, Reliant Stadium
, Reliant Arena
and Reliant Center
.
West Windsor Township, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of Census 2010, West Windsor had a population of 27,165. The median age was 39.6. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 54.9% White, 3.7% Black or African American, 0.1% Native American, 37.7% Asian, 1.0% some other race and 2.6% reporting two or more races...
, near Princeton
Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton is a community located in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It is best known as the location of Princeton University, which has been sited in the community since 1756...
.
Electrical Power Generation Operations
NRG's power plants provide more than 25,000 megawatts of generation capacity, enough to supply more than 20 million homes.In late 2005, NRG Energy bought Texas-based Texas Genco
Texas Genco
Texas Genco is a major power generation firm, active in the deregulated Texas electricity market and owns several major power plants in the Houston area that serve area power needs....
from a group of private equity firms for roughly $5.9 billion.
Today, NRG has 29 traditional gas, coal, and oil power plants across 11 states, including 9 in Texas. Additionally, NRG has 6 operational "clean energy" facilities, including wind farms, a solar farm, and the South Texas Nuclear Plant (STNP)
NRG also owns or has an interest in generating facilities in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, and Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
. NRG's operations include baseload, intermediate, peaking, and cogeneration facilities, as well as thermal energy production and energy resource recovery facilities.
Solar & Wind Power
Beginning in 2009, NRG began a major initiative to become the leading green energy producer in the United States and started investing very large amounts of money in clean energy projects. These include onshore and offshore wind power, solar-thermal, photovoltaic, and distributed solar power facilities, and repowering of some of their traditional coal plants with biomassBiomass
Biomass, as a renewable energy source, is biological material from living, or recently living organisms. As an energy source, biomass can either be used directly, or converted into other energy products such as biofuel....
.
Retail Power Operations
NRG's Retail Power services provide electricity services to more than 2 million homes and businesses, mostly in Arizona and the Northeast.In May 2009, NRG entered this market by acquiring the retail operations of Reliant Energy. NRG's retail service serves 1.6 million customers in Texas. The retail operations continue to operate under the Reliant Energy name, while the remainder of the former Reliant Energy became RRI Energy.
Following the acquisition of Reliant, NRG extended its retail footprint with the acquisition of Green Mountain Energy
Green Mountain Energy
Green Mountain Energy is a United States company that offers clean electricity products, and carbon offsets to residential and commercial customers.-History:...
in November 2010. In doing so, NRG also became the largest retailer of green power in the nation, providing all of its Green Mountain and many of its Reliant customers with energy derived from 100% renewable resources.
NRG continued the trend of leading in the green power market in 2011 by becoming the largest green power retailer in New York City and signing a major agreement to provide 100% renewable energy for the iconic Empire State Building
Empire State Building
The Empire State Building is a 102-story landmark skyscraper and American cultural icon in New York City at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and West 34th Street. It has a roof height of 1,250 feet , and with its antenna spire included, it stands a total of 1,454 ft high. Its name is derived...
.
Green Energy Initiatives
In late 2010, NRG made news by launching the first completely private public car charging stationCharging station
An electric vehicle charging station, also called EV charging station, electric recharging point, charging point and EVSE , is an element in an infrastructure that supplies electric energy for the recharging of electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric-gasoline vehicles) or semi-static and mobile...
network for electric power vehicles. The eVgo network, as it has been branded, was launched.
Nuclear Power Plant
On June 19, 2006, the STPNOC, a partially owned subsidiary of NRG, filed a letter of intentLetter of intent
A letter of intent is a document outlining an agreement between two or more parties before the agreement is finalized. The concept is similar to a heads of agreement...
with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is an independent agency of the United States government that was established by the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 from the United States Atomic Energy Commission, and was first opened January 19, 1975...
to build two 1358-MWe ABWR
Advanced Boiling Water Reactor
The Advanced Boiling Water Reactor is a Generation III boiling water reactor. The ABWR is currently offered by GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy and Toshiba...
s at the South Texas Project
South Texas Nuclear Generating Station
The South Texas Project Electric Generating Station , is a nuclear power station southwest of Bay City, Texas, United States. The STP occupies a 12,200 acre site on the Colorado River about 90 miles southwest of Houston...
site. This was the first nuclear plant license application filed in the United States in 29 years.
Reliant Energy naming rights
Reliant Energy holds the naming rights to the Reliant ParkReliant Park
Reliant Park is a complex in Houston, Texas, USA, named after the energy company Reliant Energy. It is located on Kirby Drive at the 610 Loop...
campus in Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
, home to the Reliant Astrodome
Reliant Astrodome
Reliant Astrodome, also known as the Houston Astrodome or simply the Astrodome, is the world's first multi-purpose, domed sports stadium, located in Houston, Texas, USA. The stadium is part of the Reliant Park complex...
, Reliant Stadium
Reliant Stadium
Reliant Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, in Houston, Texas, USA. Reliant Stadium has a seating capacity of 71,500, a total square footage of with of natural grass playing surface....
, Reliant Arena
Reliant Arena
The Reliant Arena, formerly the "Astroarena", is a 350,000 square feet sports center in Reliant Park, in Houston, Texas, USA. It is one of the state's major arenas and convention centers. Reliant became the home of the Women's National Basketball Association's Houston Comets for what proved to...
and Reliant Center
Reliant Center
Reliant Center is a convention center in Houston, Texas, USA, part of the Reliant Park complex that was constructed around the Astrodome and Reliant Stadium. Reliant Center hosts various events year-round, including portions of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, who maintains its offices on the...
.
See also
- Houston PavilionsHouston PavilionsHouston Pavilions is a commercial development in Downtown Houston, Texas, United States.Construction was scheduled to begin in Spring 2006 , with the first developments opening in the fourth quarter of 2007...
(NRG Tower)