Thad Hill Named Regional President for NRG Texas;

      Steve Winn to Lead Strategy, Environmental and New Business

PRINCETON, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 21, 2006--In line with the Company's rapidly expanding business opportunities, NRG Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NRG) has made the following leadership changes. Thad Hill has been named Regional President for NRG Texas in Houston, and Steve Winn, having successfully led the integration of Texas Genco, returns to the Company's Princeton headquarters as the head of Strategy, Environmental and New Business. Both positions are effective immediately.

In his new role, Hill succeeds Winn in managing NRG's largest regional portfolio of power generating assets, totaling over 10,500 megawatts of power in Texas. As head of Strategy, Environmental and New Business, Winn will identify opportunities to enhance NRG's competitive position in the energy industry and increase revenue growth through synergistic acquisitions and business alliances. Winn also will continue to oversee NRG's nuclear development efforts for South Texas Project (STP) units 3 and 4.

Most recently, Hill served as NRG's Executive Vice President, Corporate Business Development and Strategic Planning, as well as head of Environmental and New Business. Prior to joining NRG, he was Executive Vice President of Strategy & Business Development at Texas Genco LLC, a position he held until in February 2006, when NRG acquired the Company. Hill also served as Vice President and Director of The Boston Consulting Group, Inc., where he led the North American energy practice, serving companies in the power and gas sector with a focus on commercial and strategic issues. Hill received his bachelor of arts degree from Vanderbilt University and a master's degree in Business Administration from The Amos Tuck School of Dartmouth College.

Steve Winn assumed the role of Regional President for NRG Texas following NRG's acquisition of Texas Genco, a transaction he spearheaded. Prior to NRG, Winn spent nearly 10 years in investment banking--most recently at Lehman Brothers, Inc. where he served as the Senior Vice President, Investment Banking, Global Power and Energy. He holds a bachelors degree in Economics from the University of California-Berkeley and a master's degree in Business Administration, with an emphasis in Finance, from Cornell University.

NRG Energy, Inc. owns and operates a diverse portfolio of power-generating facilities, primarily in Texas and the Northeast, South Central and West regions of the United States. Its operations include baseload, intermediate, peaking, and cogeneration facilities and thermal energy production. NRG also has ownership interests in generating facilities in Australia, Germany and Brazil.

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions and typically can be identified by the use of words such as "will," "expect," "believe," and similar terms. Although NRG believes that its expectations are reasonable, it can give no assurance that these expectations will prove to have been correct, and actual results may vary materially.

NRG undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Factors that could cause NRG's actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in the forward-looking statements included in this news release should be considered in connection with information regarding risks and uncertainties that may affect NRG's future results included in NRG's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov.

    CONTACT: NRG Energy, Inc.
             Investors:
             Nahla Azmy, 609-524-4526
             or
             Kevin Kelly, 609-524-4527
             or
             Jon Baylor, 609-524-4528
             or
             Media:
             Meredith Moore, 609-524-4522
             or
             Lori Neuman, 609-524-4525

    SOURCE: NRG Energy, Inc.