Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
Hill David Russell
  2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
NRG ENERGY, INC. [NRG]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Exec Vice Pres, Gen Counsel
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
NRG ENERGY, INC., 804 CARNEGIE CENTER
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
01/02/2017
(Street)

PRINCETON, NJ 08540
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock, par value, $.01 per share 01/02/2017   F   4,598 D (1) 69,461 (2) D  

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)
9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Market Stock Units (3) 01/02/2017   M     20,071 01/02/2017 01/02/2017 Common Stock, par value, $.01 per share 40,142 $ 0 0 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
Hill David Russell
NRG ENERGY, INC.
804 CARNEGIE CENTER
PRINCETON, NJ 08540
      Exec Vice Pres, Gen Counsel  

Signatures

 /s/ Brian Curci, by Power of Attorney   01/04/2017
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) On January 2, 2014 Mr. Hill was issued 11,017 Restricted Stock Units ("RSUs") by NRG Energy, Inc. under NRG's Long Term Incentive Plan ("LTIP"). Each RSU is equivalent in value to one share of NRG's Common Stock, par value $.01. On January 2, 2017, 11,017 shares vested. Mr. Hill elected to satisfy his tax obligation upon the exchange of common stock for RSUs having a value on the date of the exchange equal to the withholding obligation. This form is being filed to reflect the surrender of 4,598 shares of common stock to satisfy the grantee's tax withholding obligation.
(2) Reflects a reduction of 1,389 dividend equivalent rights ("DERs") that were forfeited upon the vesting of the Market Stock Units described in Table II. In addition, 762 DERs converted in NRG common stock in connection with the vesting of the RSUs described above. Following these transactions, the reporting person holds 3,832 DERs in the aggregate. Dividend equivalent rights accrue on the reporting person's restricted stock units or market stock units, which become exercisable proportionately with the restricted stock units or market stock units to which they relate and may only be settled in NRG common stock. Each dividend equivalent right is the economic equivalent of one share of NRG common stock.
(3) Mr. Hill was issued 20,071 Market Stock Units ("MSUs") by NRG under the LTIP on January 2, 2014 that vested on January 2, 2017. On the vesting date, he was entitled to receive a maximum of 40,142 shares of Common Stock if the Company has achieved a 100% increase in total shareholder return since the grant date (the "Maximum"); 20,071 shares of Common Stock if there is no change in total shareholder return since the grant date (the "Target"), or 15,053 shares of Common Stock if there is a 25% decrease in total shareholder return since the grant date (the "Threshold"). The number of shares of Common Stock that Mr. Hill may receive is interpolated for total shareholder return falling between Threshold, Target, and Maximum levels. On January 2, 2017, Mr. Hill did not receive any shares.

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